Daybreak
by Elhini Prime
Summary: The Curse holds, its iron grip not giving any way. Helios is unable to help, rather being forced not to, and new relationships are forged as multiple worlds collide. Massive collab between FicFansEverywhere, Masked Demise and Myself! SPOILERS FOR WE ARE WARRIORS AND WE ARE CHOSEN!
1. Chapter 1

**So, I'm part of a discord server that hosts a bunch of fanfiction authors. This story here is a collab between three of us. You might recognize them both as they both have Chosens and both are relatively well known on this site. Everyone, I'm proud to introduce Masked Demise (authoress of Champions and We Are Chosen) and FicFansEverwhere (author of The Dawn Has Arrived). We got it in our heads that Fic's character Helios somehow met Cira...and then it evolved into including We Are Chosen). There are spoilers in here, I'm doin' my best to save SOMETHING for the actual story...which, due to this, has been moved up. The order of Chosen until the big story is: Urgot, Sion, Rakan and Xayah, Zoe. I will still do Chosens but I wanted to do the story for a long time...and I've been torturing Masked Demise far too much with all the ideas that I've been bouncing off her. BUT, that's not the time for that. Now's the time for hilarity, bittersweetness and a mashup of epic proportions. Ladies and Gentlemen, Summoners...I present _Daybreak_.**

Chapter I

Jarvan IV looked out over the foothills of Mount Targon, barely able to see figures melting in and out of the mist in the pre-dawn light. His steed anxiously pawed at the ground, turning up the clay-like soil that even in the early summer was stubborn to thaw. He could hear the clanking of his soldiers' armor as they readied their weapons and fearfully looked up at the mountain. They knew that war was inevitable, but against the Mountain tribes? Who lived and breathed nothing but war? It was a longshot...but they hoped to bring real-life to superstition. That they would be able to return the Mountain of Ghosts back into just another mountain.

 _"So, why are we fighting them exactly?"_ a whisper-soft, male voice asked within Jarvan's skull.

"They declared war on us first, Zack," Jarvan replied to his Chosen, "They threatened our people, they have been turning to banditry and robbing our people as they walk the lower Mountain roads. We cannot let that stand,"

 _"But what about_ their _Chosens?"_

Jarvan frowned.

"Since when do the Pantheon and Leona have Chosens?" he asked, "Zack, we have been through this. The Kindred are the First Chosen, not Leona or any of the Targon Champions. I believe Aurelion is the only one who has one,"

Zack said nothing, but Jarvan could feel the unease in his very soul. He was about to ask his Chosen, when another fellow Champion and Chosen came up.

"Everything is ready, your highness," Garen said before turning his face to the mountain, "They're there...but they are not attacking,"

"If the Solari Matron is with them, they will wait until dawn or after," Jarvan said, "When she is most powerful,"

"But we have a light of our own," Kaiden, Garen's Chosen, grinned, "She's powerful, just like Leona is."

"We shall hope so," Jarvan nodded, looking around, seeing his army.

He could see Fiora sharpening her rapier, see Xin Zhao waiting patiently with his spear at ready, Quinn stroking Valor's chest feathers as she worried about her little one at home, Lux tapping her wand against her side...still not at ease despite the fact magic was now allowed in Demacia, Vayne readying her crossbow as she quietly talked with Fiora, Lucian resting with his eyes closed...thinking about Senna and their little boy, up at Galio who towered over them all with his steadfast presence, at Shyvana who growled softly...waiting for the moment she would leap into the fray, at Taric who was casually talking with another soldier, at Kayle who hovered high above with her sword unlit. Sona was back at the camp, ready to tend to the wounded...but other than her...all the Demacian Champions and their Chosens were here.

But it wasn't just them. So many Demacian soldiers, not Champions, had joined. Killing Champions of the League was forbidden...but if enough soldiers took the Targonians down, perhaps they would surrender.

 _"Whatever the case is...it's going to be a bloody day. Dianne's going to have a field day…"_ Zack said, _"I...just hope they don't force Hailey to fight us. She and Aurelion wouldn't take that well and I don't think it would end well for us,"_

"I am afraid you are right…"

...

"Your Radiance, they are here," a soldier stated, coming up to a tall woman in golden armor on a red charger.

"As expected," Leona said, her golden eyes watching the figures in the mist, "It appears they have brought Galio with them as well…"

"The Colossus will be no obstacle, Radiant Dawn," a low, male voice said from behind her.

Leona turned around to face the Pantheon, whose golden-scarlet eyes burned within the shadows of the helm of his host.

"We have an answer to him," Pantheon stated, "All I need to do is speak a name,"

"The dragon will be helpful," Leona nodded, "to keep the Colossus and the Judicator at bay. If my eyes don't deceive me, all the Demacian Champions are here,"

"Will we be attacking them?"

"They insulted our people," Leona growled, a golden glow flickering around her exposed skin, "I do not care for the repercussions of the League. We slay them all,"

"And the payment for after?" came the question from the Aspect of War.

Leona's blade flickered out, barely clipping Pantheon's helmet and throwing up sparks.

"Do not insult me further than you do already," she hissed, her face flaming scarlet.

When she got nothing but silence, she turned back towards the horizon and spurred her mount forwards so that she was in the front. She rode farther out, her golden armor chiming softly as it clinked together. She could clearly see Jarvan and she gave a smirk through the slits of her helmet. Oh this would be fun.

The Radiant Dawn slowed her charger to a halt, looking out over the soon to be battlefield. Her power was still dim, a faint flicker in her soul that was slowly growing as time wore on. She almost wished that the battle would start at noon, when she was at her strongest. However, her power would begin to wane as the noon hour faded, so this was for the best.

"Last chance, Leona," came Jarvan's calm, commanding voice, "Surrender and we will not fight,"

She was silent for a moment...and then her sword and shield began to glow.

"Stand...and _fight_!" Leona roared as sunlight exploded over the valley, filling her with power as she pointed her blazing sword at the Demacian Army, " _Gia Targon!"_

" _GIA TARGON!"_ came the roar from the army behind her.

Leona wheeled her charger back towards the army.

"Targonianoí! Proetoimasteíte gia máchi!" she howled, riding along the line and smacking the flat of her blade against the raised spears of her people, her blood-red cloak flaring out behind her like a flame.

The Targonians howled back, beating their shields with swords, spears, fists as Leona galloped back to the front and leveled her sword at the army.

"Emprós!" she yelled...and the mountainside exploded with a glittering hoard of spears, swords and shields.

The Demacian army answered with a war-cry of their own and charged towards the Mountain's army. Leona's shield came up as Jarvan leveled his lance at her, the two crashed together as their armies did. Leona slashed upwards with her sword, pushing the lance tip away from her shield and keeping herself still seated in the saddle.

...

Jarvan pulled back, his stallion rearing as Leona's mare snapped at him. The Radiant Dawn gave an exhilarated laugh as she wheeled around, her cloak whipping behind her as she _dared_ him to give chase. Her sword flickered out as she charged through the Demacian line, hacking with her blade and sending blood into the air like crimson rain.

 _"...Cira's heart is probably breaking because she's forced to do this…"_ Zack muttered.

"Cira?" Jarvan asked, but was torn back to the battle as his stallion squealed in pain, kicking and bucking as a Targonian arrow buried itself into a chink in is barding, "Easy! Whoa boy!"

He turned to Garen, who was currently in battle against a man in golden armor...one of the Solari honor guard, a Ra-Horak. Garen ran the Ra-Horak soldier through, his large sword stained with crimson.

"Garen! Kaiden!" Jarvan yelled, catching his attention and pointing his javelin at the rampaging Solari Matron, "We need to stop her!"

Garen nodded, shouting to his subordinates and pointing his sword at the mounted Radiant Dawn, who was glowing brightly.

"Bring her down! Bring her down!" he roared as Leona's mare reared up, the charger's hooves smashing into a foot soldier's helmet and cratering it as they wheeled.

"Gia Targon!" Leona shrieked, waving her sword once more as her horse went down and she guided it out for another charge.

Jarvan watched in horror as she galloped back into the fray...and with an animalistic scream, her horse suddenly pitched to the side before throwing the Solari to the ground, her golden helmet thrown into the dust and bloody grass.

...

Leona grunted as she staggered upright. The Solari looked down at her downed mount...just to be met with glazed eyes and a stumped leg. They killed her horse to get her on the ground.

The Radiant Dawn's eyes burned in _hatred_.

She had hand-picked that horse, the only one able to bear her and her armor...though known to only her, it was the only one able to bear the machine that used to be called Leona of the Rakkor. She looked at the soldier that had brought her steed down, a scrawny young man, barely more than eighteen. He held his sword with the grace of a toddler...but that didn't matter.

Leona roared, her red hair flaring about her like a flame as she charged him, seeming to blink to his side. The boy barely gave more than a scared yelp as she appeared behind him, grabbing his hair.

"You killed my horse," she hissed before ramming her blade through his back and into his chest, "You'll pay for it with your life,"

She dropped the slowly stilling soldier and stood upright, her long red hair flying free in the wind, a smear of fiery red blood upon the breeze. A sound caught her attention and she dodged out of the way with inhuman speed, watching in amusement as Fiora darted past her, her white and scarlet clothes flickering into gunmetal grey and pink circuits.

"You were ze best of us, Leona," not Fiora, but Victoria stated, swiping the heated energy blade through the air as the sunlight sparkled over her ivory locks, "I do not know what 'appened to you...but I will make sure you do not 'urt anyone again!"

"I do not care if you're enhanced as I am, Fiora," Leona spat, "You _will not leave this battle field_!"

Fiora rushed at Leona, her visor gleaming.

"I 'ave come to kill you for the sake of 'onor. And though you possess none, still you die," Fiora hissed, thrusting her blade at Leona, who blocked it with her shield and used said shield to knock Fiora off balance.

"This coming from the one who dishonored her house," Leona growled back, getting a metallic snarl from Fiora and Victoria both.

 _"...You hit the honor button...you shouldn't have did that…"_ came the faint voice in the back of Leona's skull.

"Silence you annoying voice!" Leona hissed, blocking yet another stab from Fiora, "I did not ask for your opinion! I liked it better when you were silent!"

 _"For as long as you force me to do this, I will_ never _be silent,"_ the voice snapped, _"I don't know what has gotten into you, Leo, but I don't like this…"_

The Radiant Dawn snarled as the tip of Fiora's blade found a chink in her armor, opening up a wound that spat scarlet blood and golden oil. Leona tried to fend Fiora off again...but the Grand Duelist and her Chosen had found an opening, and she was not about to lose that. Leona could not track Fiora quickly enough, the smaller, lighter Project was far too fast.

Inevitably, Fiora managed to knock Leona to the ground, bleeding heavily.

"Submit," Fiora snapped, "And all I might do is take your ear…"

"Never!" Leona hissed, trying to get up again, only for Fiora to kick her down once more.

"Very well, you 'ave chosen your fate," Victoria stated, "I'm sorry, Leona...Cira…"

Leona's golden eyes flashed blue for a split second as not the Champion, but the _Chosen_ shielded her face.

"CIRA!" a male voice shrieked over the battlefield.

A circle of green fire blazed over the area surrounding the two Champions. Victoria's eyes widened as she dashed out of the way and the Artisan of War crashed into the earth, cratering it from the force. Two sapphire lights burned within the shadows of his helm as he rushed to the downed Solari's side.

"Cira…" Arthur whispered, gently picking her up.

Cira's panicked blue eyes streamed with tears for a second before they faded back to gold and Leona shoved him off of her. The Artisan of War's eyes faded back to gold as well as the Pantheon looked at a still quite angry Fiora.

"Take care of her," Leona ordered, looking back to the front line, where Jarvan was battling Ra-Horak and Rakkoran soldiers, "I have my target,"

"Of course," the Pantheon nodded, whirling his spear around and settling into a ready position while Leona dashed away at inhuman speed.

What they didn't see was a small figure watching from up in a tree, her long reddish-orange and violet hair waving in the breeze.

 _"We need to get help,"_ a soft voice begged, _"Zoe, they'll kill each other…"_

"If you say so," Zoe shrugged, sparkling stardust playing over her hands, "But we're not supposed to interfere with mortals...doesn't mean I listen buuuuutttt…"

 _"Zoe,_ please _! Those are our parents out there...I don't want them to die!"_

"I still find it hard to believe they're our parents," Zoe huffed, "I mean, they're so _young_! Oh well! Where do you think we should go, Vesper?"

 _"...I...don't exactly know…"_

* * *

Paradise, Helios found, was a special kind of hell.

Oh, it wasn't the setting, quite the opposite. Hawaii was one of the most amazing places he'd ever visited, and that was saying something, considering all the places he'd been. Oahu was especially pleasant at this time of year, with plenty of sand and sea to go around for everybody. The birds were a bit annoying, but otherwise, everything was great. The sun of this world, he grudgingly admitted, was doing its job of warming him up in his beach chair quite nicely. The yellow star's ability to hold a conversation was a bit lacking, though. One of the many issues with a world without magic.

"And yet," He muttered to himself, swirling the liquid of his drink around absent-mindedly, "despite the atmosphere, this is still one of the absolute _worst_ days of my life."

He chuckled bitterly. "One of the perks of being in my situation, I guess."

Here he was, clad in nothing but a pair of swim trunks (the palm tree pattern had caught his eye in the shop) and kicking back in the ultimate vacation spot, and he was still miserable. Anyone would be, bearing the knowledge that their pet project had been screwed over a few years ago. Planets took _billions_ of years to make (especially ones containing magic), and Helios had taken a considerable amount of pride in Runeterra when it was finished. It had experienced a few...issues, sure, but it had turned out alright in the end.

Then somebody had thrown up a barrier, cursed his favorite warrior, and promptly tarnished everything he represented.

 _Gods,_ was he pissed.

"Another drink, sir?" The waitress asked, suddenly appearing by his chair.

"Sure!" He grinned. "Just put it on my tab." He winked. "Trust me, I'm good for it."

She smiled back. "I'll just take your glass, then. I'll be right back." He didn't miss the way she blushed, either. To be fair, his physique _was_ more than a little toned. He could've given Garen a run for his money, if the two of them were placed side by side. The memory invoked put a bitter taste in his mouth. The drink he'd been sipping (piña colada was an interesting name, but whatever) hadn't done much to change that.

"Good gods, what am I even _doing_ here?" He asked, with an exasperated sigh. "I should be doing anything _but_ this."

A squawk to his lower right alerted him to the presence of a seagull. It apparently wanted food, though Helios had none to give. Unless the bird had a taste for pineapple mixed with coconut, in which case…

" _Oh,_ no. _Nah-ah!_ " He said, sitting up slightly in his chair. "Back! Back, foul beast! Shoo!" He waved his arms violently, and the bird flared its wings in response, taking to the skies.

"Filthy sky rats." He grumbled. "Geez, and here I was hoping that they wouldn't _exist_ on Earth, but _nooooooo….._ "

He laid back in his chair, staring up at the sun with a frown on his face. His drink had long since melted, though by that point he wasn't feeling thirsty anyways. He'd been trying to relax for only three minutes when a faint buzzing came from the small round table to his left. It was his phone. Selene was probably trying to text him again. With a groan, he picked it up, glumly flicking through his notifications. Crisis after crisis, and nothing could be done. Same old, same old. Gods, he was going to lose his mind if this continued for any longer. Sure enough, the most recent notification came from his sister, who had sent him another message. It was touching to know that she cared, but really, she needed to get the hint. He just wanted to be alone. It was easier to cope with everything that way.

Setting his phone down, he looked over his shoulder to check for the waitress, but she was nowhere in sight. He turned back to stare at the sea, grumbling. Listening to the waves crash upon the shoreline was somewhat soothing, if anything else.

" _SQUAWK!_ "

Helios slowly looked down to see that the seagull was back. They held each other's gaze for a few seconds, not even bothering to blink. The bird tilted its head to one side, as if it was curious.

"You're awfully persistent, aren't you?" He asked. "You just _have_ to have me for one of your Satanic rituals, don't you?"

The seagull said nothing.

"I don't know why you're even bothering with me." He continued. "I don't have any food. I know that you can drink saltwater, but I don't think you'd appreciate a melted and lukewarm piña colada."

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Unless you're just doing this to annoy me."

It squawked.

" _AHA! A CONFESSION!_ " Helios exclaimed, pointing his finger at it accusingly. " _MAYBE! I DON'T SPEAK BIRD!_ "

The seagull unhelpfully pecked at the sand.

He deadpanned.

"I swear, you're just playing mind games with me, aren't you?" He asked, resting his elbows on his knees. "I've got to give you credit, you're seeing this through to the end."

It squawked again.

Helios looked around to see if anyone was watching. _I can't believe I'm honestly considering this._ He thought. When he saw that no one was paying attention, he focused back on the bird.

"Do you ever wonder about the futility of your actions?" He asked it. "That everything you do is all for nothing, no matter how hard you try?"

Once again, no reply. But Helios wasn't one to be deterred by small details like this.

"I mean, look at me." He gestured to himself. "I'm a god. Not an _actual_ god - I'm not immortal, and all that - but a god in every other sense of the word."

"I made a planet. It's called Runeterra. It used to be pretty awesome." He continued. "I even started a fanclub. So did my sister. They…uh…didn't get along very well, which was kind of an accident, but it was still worth it overall. We figured that things would be okay, once Leona and Diana got over their enmities. Things looked even better when Cira and Mir got involved."

"Then, out of nowhere, there comes this big ugly barrier that wrecks everything. ...Followed by a curse that alters reality and turns Leona and Pantheon into, pardon my French, assholes."

"Just...what do you do in a situation like that?" Helios asked the seagull. "What do you do when everything you've ever worked for fades away in the blink of an eye, and you can't do anything about it?"

The seagull hopped up to his chair, then to the table, placing its beak in his drink.

" _Wow,_ professor, I never would've guessed!" He mockingly gasped, placing both hands on his cheeks. " _Tell me more!_ "

It didn't.

"I can't even-" He stood up. "I'm asking for advice from a _bird,_ for gods' sake. _HEY, LOOK AT ME, EVERYONE!_ " He suddenly shouted, waving his arms. " _I'M TALKING TO A **BIRD!**_ "

Everyone in his immediate proximity turned to face him, staring. He awkwardly stood there, realizing his mistake. " _Uh._ " He sweat-dropped, with a sheepish grin. "Don't mind me?"

After shooting him disapproving looks, they all went back to their business, putting a greater amount of effort into ignoring him. "Sheesh." He said, rolling his eyes. "You'd think the people here could at _least_ attempt to lighten up a little."

He'd scared the seagull away for good, apparently, as it was gone from the table. Sitting back down in his chair, he once more tried to relax, though again, it was getting increasingly difficult. Hoping to spot something else to take his mind off things, his ears alerted him to hushed whispers, and he tracked the source to see a few chicks checking him out. They were trying to act like they weren't looking at him, and stopped chattering once he noticed.

He arched an eyebrow, smirking.

They giggled.

His smile faded as soon as he'd resumed reclining in his chair, however, though their gossip regarding his physique hadn't whatsoever. Cheekily flirting with the ladies was typically an entertaining process, one he enjoyed greatly. What was the point of having a divine figure if one couldn't flaunt it every now and then? And yet, like everything else, it had lost its luster. The appeal of it was simply lost on him at the moment. He needed to be carefree, but there was too much to care about. The thrill had been sucked out of life, all because of a stupid _wall._ And it didn't even _affect_ him, either. The irony failed to escape him.

Helios's phone buzzed, and continued to buzz for a solid five minutes, despite his obvious attempts to ignore it.

"Oh, for the _love of-_ " He picked it up, answering the call. " _What?!_ " He spat. "I realize that you're _worried_ about me, Selene, but for _gods' sake,_ just leave me-"

He froze.

The voice on the other end was definitely _not_ Selene.

He gulped.

"Hey, boss." He said. "It's been a while."

Chatter on the other end of the line.

"About as good as I can be, thanks for asking." He replied. "You know, since…"

The voice continued.

"Of course it's hard. I've got all this power, and yet I'm powerless to help the people I care about." Helios said. "I mean, I know why you don't let me interfere, but I just wish I could-"

He stopped.

"What?" He asked. "You...really?" He started to stand up, gripping the arm of his chair tightly with his free hand. "You're- you're not just messing with me now, are you?"

More chatter.

"Yes, I _know_ that you don't joke around with this kinda thing, but I just want to be sure." He replied.

He stood up and listened while the Big Man talked, explaining his reasoning. Helios's hands were trembling as he finished, lips quivering as a smile slowly spread across his face.

"Sir, I just-" He shook his head, sniffing. His eyes felt a little wet, so he wiped them with the bare skin of his arm. "Thank you, thank you, _thank you._ I owe you one for this."

The line went dead.

"...Boss?" He asked, frowning. He checked the call status, then sighed. "Figures. Of _course_ he has to make a dramatic exit. Why wouldn't he?"

Chuckling fondly, he set the phone down, folding his arms behind his back and staring at the horizon, calmly processing the information he'd just been given. For once, he could finally relax. The sun seemed a lot warmer than it'd been, the waves more soothing. Even the birds didn't annoy him anymore. The girls spread out on the beach were starting to look more appealing, too...but regardless.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Helios could stop freaking out.

...

And then he freaked out.

" _OH MY **GODS!**_ " He screamed, losing his shit. The people around him jumped from the sudden outburst, whipping their heads around to see the source of the commotion, but Helios didn't care. He began pacing frantically, running his hands through his hair as the shock settled in.

"Oh my gods oh my gods _oh my gods oh my gods oh my **GODS.**_ " He said, his mouth running a mile a minute. "This is it. It's finally happening. Holy shit, _it's finally happening._ What do I do I haven't even _thought_ about actually stepping in I've only lamented the fact that I _can't_ well I can _now_ I just couldn't before but the Boss Man just gave me the all-clear and **_oh my_** _**gods this is really happening.**_ " He pressed both hands against the bridge of his nose, silently screaming into his palms (which came out as a somewhat undignified squeal, if he was being honest).

As if waiting for the proper cue, his phone buzzed. He whipped around and dove for it, falling onto his stomach as he picked it up and pressed it to his ear.

"Selene? Is that you?" He asked.

" _Where have you been?_ " His sister asked. " _Do you know how many messages I've sent you?_ "

"Yeah yeah, I'm sorry, but _get this-_ "

" _I know._ " Selene said. " _He just gave me a call. I'm as excited as you are, but **please** try to show restraint. Especially with what's going on right now._"

"Hm?" He replied. " _What's_ going on right now?"

She sighed. " _You haven't checked your notifications lately, I'm guessing._ "

"Wait…" Helios narrowed his eyes, then straightened up, feeling a slight tingling at the base of his neck. "My 'Shit's Going Down' senses are tingling!"

He flipped through his notifications hastily, searching for the most recent one.

His eyes widened. " ** _SACRÉ BLEU!_** " He exclaimed with a gasp. "And this is going on right now?!"

" _Mhm._ " Selene confirmed. " _I suppose you'd better get over here then, hmm?_ "

"Damn right I do!" He agreed. "I'll see you there. Bye!" He ended the call, stuffing his phone into the pocket of his swim trunks.

"Time to give the fans a show." He said, grinning as he cracked his neck.

Flames burst to life around his torso, spreading to his entire body until it was no longer visible through the haze of heat. The flames dissipated soon after, revealing that he was no longer there.

The crowd watching him leave was silent, quietly trying to process what they'd just seen.

"I'm back with your drink!" The waitress cheerily walked up to his chair. "Sorry that it took me so long, there were just a lot of customers to deal-"

She trailed off, noticing that he was gone.

"...with." She finished.

She sighed.

"Freeloaders."

* * *

Dianne was absolutely exhausted. She had been from Runeterra to who knows where and back. Arthur had finally convinced the girl to take a break, and as a result, Janie, Arthur and herself were eating dinner together, courtesy of Arthur.

Janie was trying not to laugh as Wolf tried sneaking food off the table, but it's somewhat hard to hide yourself when you're… you know, a ethereal wolf.

Dianne reached towards Wolf and pulled him close to herself. "Wait to be served, it's nice that Arthur is doing this for us," as she finished her sentence, the girl looked up and smiled at her host.

"It's no problem, Dianne," the man chuckled. "You need to take breaks every once in awhile and you haven't been at all since Janie has been Chosen."

The girl fiddled with the bow that was resting on her lap. "I just… have my job as both bringing the release of Death **and** giving second chances at life."

Wolf slowly reached forward to a piece of chicken, thinking that his Chosen was no longer paying attention. To his dismay, and Janie's amusement, the first chosen lightly pulled on his ear. He let out a huff, causing all three Chosen to laugh.

"Let's not keep Wolf waiting any longer," Janie laughed as she reached forward and served him. He looked at her with what appeared like awe, and Dianne was certain that if he wasn't so interested in eating he would have offered up a "Praise the Sun."

The Purifier's chosen served himself as well, prompting the two girls to begin eating as well. "It's really good," Dianne declared in between bites. Wolf himself hadn't taken a break from chowing down on his portion, so his opinion was assumed to be the same.

"Thank you; I've been practicing since…" the man looked away for a moment, then shook his head. "Since Lucian. He's been helping me."

Janie looked at him sadly. "It is really good." Once again, Arthur nodded before his eyes flashed, turning brown. "Forgive him, he is a bit lost in memory right now."

Janie nodded as she picked up a forkful of food. "Leo gets put off a bit by it too." She stopped speaking for a moment to eat. Once she finished, she continued, "I don't think the loss will ever not hurt, but, we don't have any other choice."

Dianne, noticing where the conversation was going, decided to change the topic. "You two heard about the new champion, Zoe, right?"

Lucian nodded. "She seems like a nice enough kid. Hopefully she gets a good Chosen when or if she decides to get one."

Janie grinned, "It might not be obvious, but she has a huge crush on Ezreal."

"I had no clue! Tell me about it," Dianne joked.

The mood of the dinner rather quickly lightened up, and Wolf (successfully) managed to sneak some scraps of food off of Dianne's plate.

The three of them cleaned up after eating and went to watch a movie after some insistence of Janie. Dianne made popcorn for the four of them, and they relaxed and laughed as they watched the commercials that played before it.

About halfway through the movie, a sound was heard from the kitchen. Arthur, who came back after the movie started, paused the television so the three could listen.

As they listened, the sound of a voice came through.

"O-Ow! That wasn't there the last time! You _did_ bring us to the right place...right?"

Silence for a moment.

"Ok...so what now? I kinda don't wanna step on somethin'...or break something...I tend to do that by accident…"

Another pause and then a sigh.

"Ok, I'll try…" the speaker started, "I see light in the dining room so I'll head that way...jealous of Apolla, Artemis and Ares that they can make light…"

There was the soft padding of feet on tile and a figure appeared in the hallway. It was small girl, most likely no more than twelve years old. She walked into the light, holding up her hands to ward off any possible attack. The girl was small for a twelve-year old with a heart-shaped face that made her seem even younger. Her long, wavy light brown hair carried a faint streak of orange-red that faded to a dusky violet at the ends. Her large, brown eyes carried hints of blue in one eye and violet in the other. She was dressed in a turquoise tunic shirt and blue-jean shorts with a golden amulet around her neck and sandles upon her feet.

She spotted the three Chosens and her pale face went white as her gaze landed on Arthur.

"D-Daddy?!" she whispered.

Arthur looked at the girl in confusion. "Do you know her?" He asked quietly. After a moment, he shook his head.

Dianne jumped up and Wolf stood ready at her side. "You're… Zoe."

The girl gave a slow nod, still looking at Arthur.

"Daddy...y-you don't...how are you _here_..you were with Mama…" she fell silent for a moment, "Oh...you...you're not _my_ Daddy. I'm sorry. Um...m-my name is Vesper. Vesper Noble...well, I guess it's Vesper Jonson now. I'm Zoe's Chosen,"

"But… I'm a Noble…" Janie muttered as Arthur froze up.

"Andrew didn't tell me about a new Chosen," Dianne murmured.

Vesper finally looked at Janie, her face falling again.

"You're Aunt Janie...I haven't seen you for a while...not since the Barrier...but I guess Zoe kinda threw me to another Earth?" Vesper went silent again as Zoe told her something, "Well you coulda _told_ me that in the first place! You just said you had an idea to get help!"

"Barrier…?" Dianne asked quietly. The other two Chosen went quiet as they watched Vesper speak with Zoe.

"Yeah…" Vesper muttered, scuffing her foot against the floor, "These guys caught all of us and kinda locked us in Runeterra...this...I haven't seen Earth for six years…"

"Well you're here now," the first Chosen smiled.

Wolf slowly edged towards Vesper, sniffing the air. " **Smells familiar…"** he mutters.

Her brown eyes flared blue and violet as she squealed and hugged Wolf's muzzle.

"FUZZY PUPPY!" Zoe cheered, "OH MY SUN! I WANT TO LOVE YOU FOREVER!"

Janie and Arthur looked at each other before cracking up. Dianne joined them as Wolf grumbled. " **Has Janie's scent.** "

Vesper took back control, backing off slightly as she let go of Wolf.

"Oops...sorry Wolf...Mama always told me to be careful when hugging fuzzy things…" she apologized, "I mean, I haven't had Zoe react that way since Daddy brought Aurelion so I could meet him. I love my little space doggy. So does Ares!"

Arthur smiled. **Smiled**. "I assume your daddy is Pantheon then?"

Vesper nodded.

"I...guess it's different here," she muttered, "Pantheon and Leona adopted Zoe...then Zoe Chose me when their Chosens adopted me,"

"Leona just Chose someone here," Dianne motioned to Janie. "Pantheon hasn't been Chosen yet."

Vesper frowned.

"That shouldn't be right...Mama was the First Chosen...then yo- _our_ \- Dianne got Chosen. Daddy got Chosen not long after Mama because he got shot protecting her," Vesper whispered, "But...I keep forgetting...this isn't my world…"

Dianne nodded before sighing. "You wanna sit? We were watching a movie… you can join if you want."

Vesper started to nod before shaking her head violently.

"I can't! Mama and Daddy are in trouble...that's why I came here...I came to find _help_. Demacia and Targon are fighting...Mama and Daddy are in war right now, but they aren't acting right...it's that Curse…"

She looked at the three Chosens, tears streaming.

"...Can you help us?"

Dianne looked to the two others. "I don't see why we couldn't…"

"It's not like I have anything planned," Janie smiled.

"Nothing here either." Arthur gives her a thumbs up.

Vesper squealed happily and _immediately_ hugged Arthur.

"Thank you!" she sobbed into his shirt, "Thank you! Thank you! _Thank you_!"

The man blinked and gently held her before placing a hand on her head. "What do you need us to do?"

Vesper looked up at him.

"I need you to come with me...maybe you guys can snap them out of it…" she admitted, "I dunno...I didn't really think that far…"

She waved her hand and a portal of orange, gold and violet light shimmered into being.

"Just go on through...I promise the tickling won't be too bad!" she beamed before muttering something under her breath, pausing and then resuming her brilliant smile.

"Wait wha-!" Janie is cut off as she is shoved through the portal by a very amused Dianne. The reaper followed her poor victim, leaving Arthur to follow.

"After you!" not Vesper, but Zoe chirped, "The portal'll close when I go through. But I swear, you're gonna end up in one piece! Juuuuust probably with a lot of sparkles in your hair!"

The man nodded before following his first Chosen. Zoe skipped behind him and the portal closed on their world.

Inside the portal, fractured images danced along the walls. The image of a red-haired woman in golden armor and a dark-haired man rushing towards a fallen child, picking her up and dashing away. The image of the man and woman holding the child as they burned with an intense light. The image of a little brown-haired girl hopelessly sitting in the corner with her head in her hands as her shoulders shook with sobs. The image of Zoe offering her hand to the little girl, of the girl taking it, and both of them seeming to burst into sparks before reforming into the little girl. The image of a couple, faces blurred coming to the little girl and the woman picking her up, holding her tightly.

Vesper tried not to look at the images, but the tears still slipped down her face as she saw her adopted father picking her ghost up on his shoulders and parading around the house with her, singing at the top of his lungs as she giggled.

Janie burst out of the portal in Valoran, gasping. Dianne followed after her but, once out, she turned back to the portal quietly. Arthur followed suit after he came out. Wolf… well… his fur was covered in glitter and sparkles.

Zoe hopped out, literally, with her little jump rope of stars before delicately coming to a stop, her long, orange-red and violet hair fluttering in the breeze like a flame.

"Welcome to Valoran! Well...our Valoran, not yours, buuuuutttt well, I guess it's the same? Maybe not. I-" she cut off as Vesper took control, shrugging, "Sorry, she's a bit excited. We've...never really transported more than two people before. Especially not from our universe I guess. I mean, we _did_ get Artemis, Ares and Apolla out...but that was just to our Earth and it was before this Curse...what do you _mean_ 'who's Artemi-' nevermind, Zoe...you don't remember...no one does…"

Dianne tilted her head ever so slightly before laughing at Wolf's appearance. The beast huffed and turned away.

Janie and Arthur looked around before the former's eyes turned gold. "We wouldn't happen to be near Targon, would we?"

Vesper nodded.

"We're in the foothills right now," she said before looking at Arthur, "Oh...so you're Lucian on your world. But...what would Mama be then? Unless...she's not a Chosen…"

"Who's your mother, Vesper?" Dianne asked.

"Like I said...she's Leona's Chosen," Vesper told her before freezing, "Wait...um...Miss Janie, would Senna happen to be out of the Lantern in your world?"

Janie and Arthur went still and it was Dianne who had to respond. "No… she isn't."

Vesper's brown eyes dimmed and she bit her lip as she scuffed a foot in the dirt.

"I...don't think I should tell you who she is…" she mumbled.

Arthur nodded. "Okay. Just… Janie and I don't enjoy talking about Senna's Chosen."

Vesper nodded, holding her arm.

"If it helps...she might come out...she's free here. She and her Chosen are happy with Lucian. They have a little boy...I just hope that yours comes back to you too…"

Janie managed a small smile. "We hope so too."

Dianne waited a moment before saying, "I think I'm going to scout out the area, see how much different your Runeterra is from ours, okay Vesper?"

"Just be careful...the Curse might still be around here...I don't know if patches are still there or not. All I know is that Mama, Daddy and I got hit right after Aunt Mir and Diana. We were getting my siblings off world so they'd be safe from it,"

Dianne nodded before running off, Wolf trailing alongside her.

Vesper's eyes widened.

"Wait!" but Dianne had gone, "No, no, no, _no_! I didn't tell her what it looked like! She might run into it!"

"Wouldn't it be obvious what a curse looks like?" Janie questioned.

"Not if it took the form of something in nature," Vesper panicked, "It's a storm. The clouds are a bruised purplish color, but on Earth, that's what they looked like if there was a bad storm there. I don't know how it would affect her...our Kindred seemed to be fine...but she's not our Dianne so I don't know!"

Janie blinked. "That would be hard to tell… she's gone though. None of us can match her speed."

Vesper huffed.

"If you're anything like our Projects, you can nearly match it. But I don't want _you_ going through it, Miss Janie...because you'll...you'll end up like Mama…" she started, sniffing as she wiped her tears with her arm, "I'm not crying...I'm...I'm…"

Arthur moved towards her and hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Dianne will be fine. She can handle herself."

Vesper's little face fell.

"Bad things always happen to those around me…" she whispered, "I'll hope she's ok…"

Janie moved towards Vesper. "Why don't we follow where she went?"

Vesper nodded, her face set in a determined expression, something that normally didn't have place on Zoe's face.

Janie smiled in an attempt to reassure the girl before she started following where Dianne had headed off to. Arthur held his hand out to Vesper.

The little girl gave a shaky smile and took Arthur's hand, still looking like she was about to cry, but happier than she had been.

Janie watched the sky as Arthur led the small group in the direction Dianne had run off in. It took a while but after a moment, Janie spotted her under a patch of dark, dark clouds, the reaper's back to them.

Vesper gave a small whimper and tried to pull away, she grabbed Janie's hand and tried pulling her back as well.

"No...please...don't go…" she stammered, eyes wild, "Please...not again…"

"I won't," Janie promised, holding still even as she said so.

Upon hearing them, Dianne turned, a curious tilt to her head as she seemed to look over the projects and Aspect of Twilight.

"Uh… Dianne, are you okay?" Janie asked as the reaper crept towards them, Wolf grinning wildly at her side.

Dianne did not respond and simply tilted her head even more.

"Dianne, come on, answer me." Janie huffed. "You're scaring me." The Chosen of the Sun turned to Vesper. "Could the curse have made her mute?"

Vesper shook her head.

"O-Our Dianne can still talk.." she whimpered, holding Arthur's arm in a death-grip.

"Come on, Dianne. Just answer me."

Dianne, in one smooth, slow motion raised raised her bow, aiming it at Janie's chest. The girl went deathly still, staring as an arrow formed in the bow. Wolf looked at his Chosen curiously as she took in a breath.

The arrow flew, missing Janie by mere centimeters as Wolf headbutted the bow. " **There is no Mark on Janie-child, Dianne.** " He growled out.

Dianne paused, before suddenly breaking into a run, heading away from the small group.

"I… think it affected her," Arthur muttered.

Vesper looked towards the West, where a cloud of smoke rose. Her little face fell.

"I think I know where she's going too…"

...

Dianne ran, Wolf at her side into the battle raging between Targon and Demacia. Her body, if she was in her right mind might have begged her stop through pain from running at a speed she was unaccustomed to, but currently the only thing on her mind was the Hunt.

She could have sworn there was a Mark over that girl's head she had seen earlier. Wolf corrected her and, instead went towards where she knew Marks were certain to be: a war.

She spotted a figure too similar to herself and hissed as she saw the person taking **her** Marks. Dianne hissed and stormed towards her.

Forms were… more of a blur for Dianne in this state, and they were easier for her to see from further away. The Chosen could've sworn she heard something trying to speak to her, someone other than her Wolf, but she dismissed it. She raised her bow at the person who would **dare** steal from Death.

* * *

Dianne was… confused to say the least. She had to suddenly leave her twins at home, given they were in good care, and come to where dozens upon dozens of Marks were calling to her.

Now there was a look-alike of herself now facing her down, bow aimed even at her throat. The one difference was the splintering crack underneath the right eye of the other Kindred's mask. Dianne's Wolf was off taking Marks elsewhere on the field, while this newcomers seemed to eye her throat with a bloodthirsty gaze.

"Who are you?" Dianne asked quietly. The Lamb in front of her simply tilted her head. Instead of properly answering, Wolf spoke.

" **You steal from us…** "

An enraged growl came from 'Lamb' and she fired her arrow.

Dianne, being given no choice but to fight leaped out of the way and fired three arrows of her own. This girl seemed like a Chosen… but two things were off. She was Kindred's Chosen and something about this girl seemed **feral**. The girl, even if she was some sort of Chosen, seemed less experienced, as was evident by one of Dianne's arrows piercing 'Lamb's' leg.

She let out a hiss and pointed towards Dianne, sending Wolf flying at her.

Dianne's eyes widened and she began trying to jump away from the ravenous beast. She escaped with minimal damage, but Wolf had bit into her left arm, leaving her grip on her arm a bit weak. He must have ripped something apart, she reasoned.

Just when Dianne was about to retreat, a dark blur zoomed past her, tackling the Wolf that was attacking her.

" **Dianne you are fine, right?** "

"Now I am," Dianne grinned beneath her mask, holding her bow with her right hand.

" **Then let's rip them to bits.** "

Dianne let her left arm dangle at her side, instead using one of her hooves to fire the now. She was glad she has asked Lamb to teach her this, without it… the fight might have ended, even with Wolf joining. She was trying to force 'Lamb' to retreat.

The girl had no Mark, so she couldn't be killed, but she could still be wounded. She landed several more arrows in non-fatal places, but the girl kept advancing on her Wolf. Dianne began to grow worried as she landed her third arrow in 'Lamb's' thigh. She fired one more before the other girl hesitated and dashed off suddenly, her Wolf following her.

Dianne simply stood there for a few moments feeling very confused.

" **We must continue, Dianne.** "

The girl shook her head, snapping herself out of her daze before running back into the fray.

...

Jarvan was currently engaged with a few members of the Ra-Horak, their emotionless faces hidden behind golden helms, leaving nothing but glowing embers in shadow. They had knocked him off his charger, who was currently on it's way to the camp, several arrows and spear shafts sticking out from it's barding. It was for the best...this was not a place to be on horseback.

 _"There's something_ really _off about them…"_ Zack noted as Jarvan pinned one to the ground with his javelin, _"It's like they're not human...at all…"_

"Maybe they're ghosts, like the legend says," Jarvan growled, "But ghosts or not, they die as easily as we mortals do,"

 _"Still…"_ Zack grumbled, _"It's like they're not real…"_

Jarvan hissed as one of their swords slipped through a chink in his armor.

"They hurt like they are real...I imagine they would kill us for real," he deadpanned.

The golden-armored soldiers suddenly froze, slowly backing away from the Demacian King.

 _"Did you scare them that badly?"_ Zack asked.

"I do not beli-!" Jarvan gave a yell of shock as something struck him from behind, sending him flying headlong into the dirt.

He looked up, seeing none other than Leona standing where he once was, her sword and shield glowing brilliantly in the late morning light.

"Never thought you'd run into someone with their back turned," not Jarvan, but Zack snapped, getting up, "Cira, what's happened to you?"

"I don't know who this 'Cira' is," Leona growled, "If you are talking about your precious 'Chosens', I regret to say that I have none...so you might have an advantage against me. However, I have an advantage on my side. Two, actually,"

"And that would be?" Zack spat.

Suddenly, Leona wasn't in front of him...and Zack hit the ground again, turning his head to see Leona _right_ beside him. She had swept his feet out from under him in less than the blink of an eye. No one had the right to be that fast…

 _"Remember, Zack, she is not human...at least, not anymore. Even after becoming an Aspect, she had a sliver of humanity...it is all gone now,"_ Jarvan reminded the Chosen, _"At least Fiora, Vayne and Lucian have kept their humanity for the most part,"_

"Right…" Zack growled, giving control back to Jarvan as the Champion got up.

Jarvan looked around, seeing the golden armored Ra-Horak surrounding them, creating an arena. Well...if that was the case…

"Shall we make this more private?" he asked, a faint smile on his face.

"Do as you wish...it will be your last day breathing," Leona smirked.

 _"I never expected to see that expression on her face…"_ Zack murmured as Jarvan raised his javelin and smashed it into the ground.

The earth rumbled, shaking like a leaf in the wind, before rupturing, creating a clay and stone arena so high that no one would easily get in.

"Satisfied?" Leona asked, whirling her blade around.

"Oh, Leona, did you forget that while we're in this arena...I am stronger?" Zack asked.

He rushed her, catching her off guard for a moment as the javelin pierced her shoulder, and lifted her up until she hit the wall, pinned against it. She grabbed the shaft of the javelin,the ancient wood cracking slightly under her grip as she pushed outwards and removed it from her shoulder.

She hit the ground, her shoulder sparking slightly as golden oil and scarlet blood dripped from it.

"Impressive," she said, "Jarvan, your Chosen is strong, you should be proud...however, you also forget something?"

"And _what_ would that be?" Zack asked, settling in a ready position.

"Do you happen to know the time?"

"Probably about noo-" Zack stopped, his face paling as the sun shone right overhead, "... _Oh_ …"

Leona gave a wild, exhilarated laugh as her armor, her sword, her shield...even her skin glowed with a light so bright it hurt to look at.

"Perhaps we should have waited until _after_ noon to fight her?" Zack asked as the Solari tossed aside her shield and held her sword in both hands.

 _"Possibly...but I doubt she would have allowed it,"_ Jarvan replied.

Zack didn't get the chance to answer. Leona suddenly appeared beside him, smashing him in the side of his head with the pommel of her sword. Her shield had slowed her down, that was why she had discarded it. It left her defense low...but she made it up with strength and speed.

Jarvan took over, bringing his javelin up to block the hacking blow Leona brought down on him. The gold and scarlet blade connecting with the silver head and sending sparks flying in a dazzling array. A crushing blow caught him in the chest, sending him flying across the arena and into the wall where the Radiant Dawn had kicked him. He had barely enough time to roll out of the way as her blade sank up to its hilt in the stone where his head had been.

"Fight me, coward!" Leona snarled, "No, I expect this from a Demacian lapdog! Weak and worthless! Not worthy for the sun to look down upon!"

 _"We just have to hold on...for an hour…"_ Zack tried to be hopeful...but as Leona's attacks became relentless, his hope waned.

Crushing blow after crushing blow, Leona pummelled the King, smacking him into a wall, into the ground...never giving him a chance to set up an attack, to retaliate. She was far too fast and far too strong for him to fight.

Leona gave a loud shriek as she hacked down at Jarvan, the blade biting deep into Jarvan's shoulder, burning his skin as it ate through the metal. Jarvan howled as she grabbed his head and slammed it into the ground repeatedly. She planted her foot on his chest and dislodged her sword from his shoulder, raising it over her head.

Jarvan caught a flicker of white behind Leona. He could see the Lamb and Wolf standing, at the ready.

 _"Jarvan...Dianne…"_ Zack croaked hoarsely as Jarvan's heart hammered, _"We're gonna die…"_

 _"I'm sorry, Zack, Jarvan…"_ Dianne started, her voice calm and soothing, _"Please, choose. I don't want to make you suffer. My arrow…"_

"Pathetic...you thought you could lead your people...yet you could not defeat, what was it? Oh yes… 'A bumbling band of barbarians who are stuck in the past'," she hissed, "The line of Lightshield ends here! THERE WILL NOT BE A JARVAN V!"

 ** _"Or my teeth?"_** Wolf growled.

Her sword flashed down…

" ** _HOLD THE GODDAMN PHONE!_** "

The cry rang out through the entire battlefield, stopping everyone in their tracks. Demacian and Targonian alike froze, suddenly immobilized by the command. Even Galio and Aurelion Sol faltered, pausing mid-brawl.

" ** _YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT!_** " The voice yelled again. " ** _I'M TALKING TO_** _YOU **IDIOTS!**_ " It...seemed to be coming from the _sky,_ directly above them.

Aurelion gave an annoyed grumble.

 _"What is it?"_ Hailey asked her Champion.

"If that is who I think it is...this world is going to be getting _quite_ interesting…" the Star Forger sighed, "One of my hearts has decided to grace us with his presence,"

Meanwhile, in the stone arena...Jarvan looked up, just to see a golden blade mere inches from his nose. He cast his gaze towards the Solari...just to get met with a faint flicker of blue shimmering around her irises…

"... _Cira…?"_ Zack asked.

"S-Stop...Leo... _please_ …" the Solari growled through gritted teeth, the blue becoming stronger as tears streaked down her tanned cheeks.

Dianne became visible as well, starting forwards, hand outstretched to the violently shaking Radiant Dawn.

Leona's eyes blazed back to gold, the blue disappearing instantly as Leona reared back again, aiming to remove Jarvan's head from his shoulders.

" ** _DID I STUTTER?!_** " The voice from the heavens boomed again.

Everyone stumbled as the ground trembled, shaking underneath the force from above. The sky began to glow, mixing shades of raging gold and glimmering silver. The gathering energies condensed into a swirling maelstrom of power, located directly above the mountain. The temperature began to rise, and the ground began to smolder and smoke in response.

" ** _WHEN I SAY TO HOLD THE GODDAMN PHONE…._** " A high-pitched whine filled the air as the storm of flame above them glowed white-hot, growing louder as its power increased. " ** _YOU HOLD - THE GODDAMN - PHONE!_** "

 ** _B  
O  
O  
M  
!_**

A column of gold and silver fire _exploded_ down from above, landing in the center of the battlefield. Everyone in the immediate area was thrown off their feet, landing on their backs clear of the blast radius. It shook the entire mountain, staggering everyone who was still standing. Leona was forced to drop her sword, the blade clattering to the ground at her feet, leaving the king of Demacia unharmed.

And then, just like that, it stopped.

The roaring pillar of light dissipated, leaving a gigantic cloud of smoke in its place. It diminished after a few moments, until there was nothing left. Except for two silhouettes that stood in the center, revealing themselves as the smoke cleared.

The first newcomer was female, standing tall with her back straightened in a posture of dignity and poise. She wore brilliant silver armor with black highlights that appeared to be of Targonian design, similar to what Diana wore. It was form-fitting, yet durable, bearing a chestplate with flat shoulder blades that transitioned to a dress at the waist, which went all the way down to her feet. She wore fingerless gauntlets on her wrists, and her dress opened up in the middle to make room for her legs, which were clad in armored boots. Her skin was pale, her eyes the color of her armor, her platinum blonde hair tied up in a braid that went down past her waist. In one stand stood a crescent-shaped scythe, its edge gleaming wickedly as she surveyed her audience with a neutral gaze.

At first, she appeared to be the source of the outburst. But then…

"Now that I've got your attention…" The voice said, coming from the figure next to her. This one was male, and a striking one at that. He bore a tanned body that was impressively sculpted, rippling with muscle. He was tall, easily Jarvan's height, if not taller. His face was handsome, and despite his fury, held a hint of humor in his golden-amber eyes. His hair was the shame shade, and glimmered like flames in the night.

There was also the fact that he was dressed in nothing but a pair of palm tree swim trunks.

" _WHAT THE **HELL** IS GOING ON HERE?!_" He yelled.

 **Well, I believe that is a good place to stop! Have to have you guys come back for more somehow, don't we? But anyways, we all hope you liked this, and that you will tell us all what you think! We'd really appreciate it if you guys let us know if you had as much fun reading it as we had in writing it.**

 **And because I _KNOW_ it is going to come up...NO I am not doing a third Project story...at least not in the same way I have been. If Jhin's creator reads this somehow, please PM me, I want to talk to you!**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)  
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)**

 **Pantheon-Arthur Jonson**

 **Jarvan- Zack Turner**

 **Garen-Kaiden Darkhound**

 **Lux-Amelia Pond**

 **Lucian- Jonathan Cross Jr. (Senna-Sienna Cross)**

 **Quinn- Seluna Russignol (Armstrong)**

 **Vayne- Valencia Storm**

 **Fiora- Victoria Meraux**

 **Galio- Stan Jackson**

 **Shyvana- Sonja Chadayev**

 **Xhin Zhao- Lex Fuller**

 **Taric- Ruben Synne**

 **Kayle-Ryo Kaida**

 **Zoe- Vesper Jonson**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 ** _Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)_**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 **Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)**

 **Leona-Janie Noble**

 _ **...And then there are**_ ** _Helios and Selene._**

 **Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!**

 **Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

 **Máriessë ar mára tecië**

 **Farewell and fair writing**

 **Elhini Prime signing off.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Through school, different time zones and sickness we've gone through to get this to you guys! I'm glad you guys are liking it so far, we all are. When we last saw these characters, Helios and Selene made their grand entrance...let's see how everyone handles it!**

Chapter II

Zack and Dianne stared at the newcomers in awe and...a bit of confusion. Who were they? Where did they come from? And why in the _worlds_ did one of them come dressed in what looked to be some cheap, tacky swimming trunks from Earth?

"Do you know them?" Zack asked, looking at Dianne.

"Nope…" Death's Chosen answered, tilting her head quizzically before looking at the shaking Solari.

It wasn't from strain or fear in which she was trembling. Leona looked very, _very_ angry.

"How... _dare_ …you," Leona hissed, her glow so bright it hurt to look at her, "How _dare_ you interrupt this battle! This was not your place! You insult the glory of warfare by interfering and dressed so ludicrously!"

Her gaze turned to the woman and the fire in her eyes got even brighter.

"There is another one?!" she demanded, "I knew we should have put Diana down...her heresy is spreading like a plague…"

" _Leona_!" Dianne tried, even though in her heart she knew she was not going to succeed, "She's your sister! You can't…"

"I have no siblings!" Leona snarled, whirling on Death herself, "Everyone at the League is addled, particularly their Chos-!"

" _Shut up._ " The newcomer snarled.

The command was quiet, but carried across the entire mountainside.

"You're embarrassing yourself, Leona." He continued, scowling. "It's like listening to a toddler whine, I _swear._ "

She gave a cry of outrage and tried to pick up her sword...but froze, shaking as she looked up, tears streaming from her now stormy blue eyes.

"Help... _please_ …" came the broken, choked whisper as gold tried to flood through the irises.

He blinked, momentarily surprised. "I will." He promised. "Just hang tight."

His scowl returned, as he focused back on the rest of his audience. "And as for all of _you,_ " He spat, "look at this. _LOOK AT IT!_ " He spread his arms, gesturing to the current situation. " _WHAT IS EVEN THE **POINT** OF ALL OF THIS SHIT?! FOR THE LOVE OF GODS, JUST **WHY?!**_ "

No one spoke, the Targonians had declared it first...but both sides were at equal fault for this war.

"That's what I thought." He narrowed his eyes disapprovingly. "And as for _YOU!_ " He pointed at Leona. "Do you even have a _spine?_ "

The shaking Solari Chosen shook her head, violently, fighting hard to stay in control.

"Not...her fault…"

The Targonians and Demacians stared at the two in mixtures of horror, shock and pity. Horror that the Solari Matron, once terrifying was now brought to this shaking creature. Shock from the bold statement from the newcomer to said Solari Matron. Pity at the pain the woman seemed to be going through as it appeared her insanity was just a piece of her that truly wasn't who she was.

"I know it isn't." He replied, his gaze unwavering. "But I've got a _lot_ of pent-up rage right now, and I don't really know any other way to get through to her. So for now, this'll have to do."

"So _come on Leo,_ answer me." He said. "Do you or do you not have a _spine?_ "

The blue eyes turned agonized and defeated as they faded to gold and an ugly snarl twisted across her features.

"I do…" she growled, her hand curling around the hilt of her sword, "But let's see if you do as well!"

She started to stand, beginning her swing…

" _Sit - **down.**_ " He glared.

Leona's legs buckled, her sword falling from her hand as she dropped to her hands and knees. There was suddenly an intense pressure on her back, forcing her to remain rooted to the spot no matter how hard she resisted.

Her form flickered, her hair flashing from red to white and back again as her projector glitched from pressure. Her head cocked to the side as if she were listening to something before she shook her head rapidly.

 _"Shut up. Shut up. SHUT UP!"_ she screeched to seemingly no one in particular before glaring heatedly at the newcomer.

He paid her cries no mind. "You claim you have a spine, Leona?" He asked. "Then why the _hell_ did you start a _war BECAUSE OF A PETTY INSULT?!_ "

She gave no reply.

"Frankly, I'm at a loss for words." He continued. "Are you really so _insecure_ that you would declare _war_ as soon as someone questions your ethics?" He whistled. "I have seen a _lot_ of wars happen for stupid reasons in my lifetime, but _damn,_ this _easily_ takes the top spot."

"You've disgraced my name." He said.

"Helios-" The other newcomer tried to interrupt, but he wasn't stopping.

"You've disgraced the Solari."

" _Helios-_ "

"You've disgraced your Chosen."

" ** _Helios-_** "

"And you've disgraced yourself most of all."

" ** _HELIOS!_** " She shouted.

" ** _WHAT?!_** " He whipped his head around to face her. " ** _I'M BUSY!_** "

She raised an eyebrow, then pointed downwards at his waist.

"Eh?" He looked at where she was gesturing.

His expression froze, his scowl awkwardly twisted.

He blinked twice, then looked up at the crowd, the reality of the situation suddenly presented to him.

"Now...I'm going to ask all of you a question, and I need you to answer me honestly." He said. "Have I been wearing these the whole time I've been chewing her out?"

Nods from the Champions and Chosens, as well as a good portion of the armies.

He forcefully exhaled into a sigh. "Yeah, that sounds about right." He chuckled. "To be honest, I was kind of wondering why the air felt so brisk." He straightened his swim trunks with a sheepish grin. "I guess now we know why, eh?"

He looked over at Leona with disdain. "I'll deal with you in a minute." He strode over to where Jarvan lay on the ground, bending down as he extended an arm with a smile.

"Jarvan, Zack." He said humorously. "You look like you two could use a hand."

The King of Demacia and his Chosen blinked slightly before taking the arm.

"How do you…"

He winked. "I'll get to that part later."

The confusion still didn't leave...but he gave a nod.

"There we go!" He pulled him up, with surprisingly little effort. "Now, who else is here…"

He walked down to the gathered champions, who stood in a line as they eyed him wearily, weapons drawn. However, he only just strolled alongside them, almost as if he was inspecting them.

"Let's see…" He said. "Garen, Kaiden, how's Gabriel doing? Lucian, Jonathan, say hi to Jay for me when you get home, will you? Fiora, Victoria, hey that rhymes, neat. Vayne, Valencia, Quinn, Seluna, how's little Caleb? Kayle, Ryo, Xin, Lex, Sona, Brigit…" He froze, coming to a stop as he reached Shyvana.

"...Shyvana, Sonja…" He shook his head, moving on. The pause was noticeable, but no one was in the mood to question it. "Lux, Amelia, Galio, Stan…" He looked up at the Colossus at the mention of his name, giving him a small wave. "Taric, Ruben, Hailey, _Aurelion…_ " He mock-sternly looked up at the cosmic dragon, wagging a finger. "I'm still mad from that stunt you pulled a while back, naughty you. You're lucky that I wasn't allowed to intervene then, otherwise I would've thrown a _fit._ "

"I put you back on your axis...aren't you happy enough…" Aurelion grumbled.

"Not by a long shot, buddy." He smirked. "Though I must admit, it's good to see you again, you old reptile. How's Chosen life suiting you?"

"To be fair, she is one of the only humans who is tolerable…" Aurelion huffed, "The others being Ares and Vesper,"

"Well, how about that." He hummed. "Progress."

"Dianne, Lamb, Wolf, what's going on?" He asked. "We've never met, Dianne, but Kindred could probably explain things."

"And then of course, we have Cira, Leona, Pantheon and Arthur." He cast a sympathetic glance at the Targonian warriors, who were looking none too happy at the moment.

"Right!" He clapped his hands together. "Good to see that most of the gang's here!"

"Most?" Amelia asked, "Why do you want us here?"

"Eh, I actually didn't know about any of this until I got word of it a few minutes ago." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry about all of this, by the way."

"So...can you tell us who exactly you are and _why_ are you wearing cheap swim trunks from a tourist trap store?" Victoria questioned.

He blinked, turning on his heels to face her. "...Good question, actually." He cast a sidelong glance at his companion. "I suppose proper introductions are in order."

He snapped his fingers. Flames burst to life around him, engulfing his body in a miniature inferno from the neck down. They solidified and hardened, until they were in the form of gold and maroon armor, similar to what Leona wore. The major differences were the alterations in design (it appeared to take a slight inspiration from Ionian armor), and the cape that flowed at the back, maroon in color but wreathed in flames.

In his hand rested a double-bladed axe, flat at the top and bearing intricate solar designs along the flat. He placed the blade on the ground, resting the palms of his hands on the pommel.

"Hi. My name is Helios." He grinned. "And I'm the sun."

Shock flitted across Leona's face...Aurelion shook his massive head and chuckled.

"Always still one for the dramatic, aren't you, little Helios?"

"You're one to talk." Helios smirked. "Quit calling the kettle black, pot. You know very well where I got this attitude from."

Aurelion's eyes flickered a darker shade of blue.

"He got you there, Sass-Lord…" Hailey snickered, "Oh don't be like that...you like that title. I know you do…"

"You see that, Aurelion? You just got _wrekd._ " Helios said.

"...I am beginning to miss the days where your backtalk never happened, Hailey," Aurelion huffed, taking control again, "...Of course I still tolerate you... _no_ I never said that word Hailey Cannon…'love' is a...child, you are trying my patience…"

"If only I could vine this." Helios snickered. "I'd be getting millions of hits within _hours._ "

"You wouldn't _dare_!" Aurelion growled, "I will take you off your axis again, Helios...don't push me,"

" ** _TRY ME._** " Helios replied. "I'm on official business for the Boss Man, big guy. You wanna get in his way, by all means. In the meantime, I am going to _meme_ like there's no tomorrow, so screw what you think."

" _Oh my gods…_ " His companion facepalmed. "He's not here _ten seconds_ and he's already doing it again."

" _I heard that._ " Helios said. "And where's _your_ introduction, hm?"

"Right. Apologies." She replied, clearing her throat. "My name is Selene. I am the moon, and Helios's sister." She gave a small flourish with a bow. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"...Why could you not have turned out like her…" Aurelion sighed.

"Because then that'd be boring." He cheekily grinned. "I've got a life to live, and I intend to life it to the fullest."

He froze, blinking. "Wait…" He turned and realized that the armies were still watching them. "Oh, _that's_ what I was forgetting. Right." He sweatdropped. "Probably not a good time, is it?"

"And why haven't _you_ said anything?" He asked Leona. "I would've thought you'd be freaking out right n- _ohhhhh,_ right. I forced your mouth shut with gravity. My bad." He made a motion with his fingers, as if he was opening something up, and suddenly she could speak again.

"You... _can't_ be…" she hissed finally, "It's not possible... _why_?! Why did you _leave me like this_?"

One could see the faint flicker of blue through her eyes on the last bit of her outrage, there was still a sliver of the old Radiant Dawn still there...along with her Chosen.

He sighed, a pained expression on his face. "I didn't want to. I'm sorry. I didn't have a choice."

"But, the time for apologizing isn't now. In fact, now's the time to _knock you out!_ " He declared. His form blurred, and suddenly he was behind her, a hand raised.

" _JUDO **CHOP!**_ " He yelled, with a...British accent, of all things...and she slumped to the ground, unconscious.

She hit the ground, form sputtering for a moment before settling. The Solari and their honor guard all raised an outraged cry.

"How _dare_ …" one of them started only to get shushed by another soldier.

"If he is who he says he is...angering him isn't the best idea," the second one warned, "He gave his blessing to her...he's in the right with whatever he chooses to do with her,"

"Thank you, random Rakkor person!" Helios said, pointing at him with both index fingers in gratitude. "You da real MVP!"

"Erm...Helios?" Selene coughed. "His name is Asterios. He's one of mine."

"Hey!" Helios complained. " _Spoilers!_ "

"Asterios...you're one of the heretics?" the first Solari demanded.

"If following the sun puts someone like _that_ into power, I am glad to be Lunari," Asterios snapped, "I have been for a long time...the Lunari aren't bloodthirsty like you led us to believe. They...they're actually quite kind and gentle…"

"Hey, uh, excuse me?" Helios said, directed at the Solari warrior. "Uh, yeah, hi. She's standing right there, you know." He gestured to his sibling, who was less than amused.

The Solari paled, but Asterios came forwards and gave a bow to Selene.

"I just wanted to thank you, my lady, for giving me someone I care more than life about," he told her, "They're just blinded...they don't understand,"

"Sadly." Selene hummed, frowning. "I must thank you, Asterios. You, Astra and Diana have done me a great service by keeping the Lunari alive."

 _Pwip-pwip-pwip._

"Helios." Selene deadpanned.

"Yes, dear sister?" He asked innocently.

"Why are you recording a video of that poor man's terrified face with your phone?" She said.

"Because I'm going to upload it and make a vine. Duh." He replied, unabashed.

"We're in the middle of an emotional moment." She said, exasperated. "You're ruining it."

"Meh, the readers probably aren't taking this thing seriously anyways. They're probably choking right now, honestly."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Also - we're kidnapping _him_ too!" Helios pointed at Pantheon.

"Wait, what-" came the Artisan's sputter.

" _JUDO **CHOP!**_ "

Pantheon slumped to the ground as Leona had, unconscious.

" _Damn it Helios!_ " Selene exclaimed. "I thought I told you to show restraint!"

"You did. I lied when I agreed." He replied cheerily.

"Why does that not surprise me…" Aurelion sighed, "I knew I used too much helium when creating you…"

"Why, because I'm _air-headed?_ " He asked, with a shit-eating grin.

A collective groan went up.

He cackled maniacally.

"Even Cira, were she able to respond, would groan at that, Helios…"

"That reminds me." He walked over to Leona's body, picking it up and slinging it over his shoulder with one hand. "We should probably get going." He glanced at Selene over his shoulder. "Mind taking Pantheon for me?"

She sighed. "Naturally, I get the heavy ones."

"You'd be surprised at how heavy all this hot air is." He patted Leona's back for emphasis. "Combined with cybernetic enhancements, it's not anything to laugh at." He flicked his free hand, and the Targonians' weapons floated up alongside him, diligently following as he walked up to the Demacian champions.

He paused, turning to look at Jarvan, who just stood there, flabbergasted.

"Well? Come on. Let's go." Helios said.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Let's - go - to - Demacia. What else?" He replied. He looked back at the mountain, frowning. "This isn't a good place to try and fix things."

He fished out his phone, scrolling through the contacts and placing it to his ear. "Hey, Zoe, you there? Need a favor. Can you pick up Diana and Mir for me? We're meeting at J4's place. 'Kay, thanks. See you then!"

Jarvan raised his voice, ordering the army to fall back and go home. The Targonians silently stood there, wondering what in the world they had just seen...and what they were to do now that their leaders had been incapacitated…

"Oi! What're you all still standing around for?" Helios asked. "Get out of here! Shoo!" He flicked his head at Asterios and Aurelion. "You're coming with us, too. We need you both for this, and I can't imagine that you want to stay here either."

Asterios gave a nod and started towards Demacia with the others as Aurelion gave a small huff but took off as well.

* * *

"Wakey wakey!" Helios's voice said.

The Radiant Dawn's eyes slowly fluttered open...a deep, stormy-blue.

"...Is it...over?" she croaked, eyes tearing up, "Is...is she ok?"

"Just about." He replied. "For now, at least. Welcome back, Cira."

The First Chosen gave a weak smile...right as a blur of orange, violet and turquoise leaped at her.

"MAMA!" Vesper wailed, hugging Cira around the neck, "Mama…"

Cira's tears fell even harder as she stroked the Aspect of Twilight's hair, bringing her closer.

"I missed you too...Vesper," she murmured before looking at Helios, "...I'm so sorry...I couldn't...I couldn't control her…"

"It's not your fault." He replied. "If anything, it's mine. I should've been there for you when you needed me to be. I'm sorry."

"If I had just said no to her in the very beginning...maybe this could have been avoided…"

"What? No!" He rebutted. "This was out of your control. It isn't Leo's fault, either. We both know what happened, Cira." He winced. "Can you still, uh...feel her in there?"

She nodded, a faint strain in her neck muscles as a trace of gold appeared in her eyes.

"She isn't happy...then again...she never is. At least...not anymore,"

Helios placed a hand on his chest, feigning indignity. "And even after I managed to get you this room?" He spread his arms, gesturing to the bed Cira was currently laying in. They were in a bedroom of generous size, bearing white wallpaper and a massive set of windows that led to a balcony outside, overlooking Demacia City. There was a living room outside the door, connected to a kitchen and a pantry in the corner. "It took Jarvan some convincing to get you one, too. You're in Demacia right now, at the Citadel of Dawn. The others are waiting for you." His expression turned sheepish. "I...haven't explained everything to them yet."

"Frankly, I'm surprised that things went as smoothly as they did." Selene said, leaning against the wall in the corner. "I would've thought that there would be more kinks in the plan."

"What? You don't trust me to get the job done?" Helios asked. "I'm more than capable of pulling my weight, you know that."

"All you ever do is meme and flirt, Helios." She replied, exasperated.

"That's like saying all Sona does is write songs." He grinned back, unabashed.

"I swear you're almost as bad as my daughter…" Cira sighed tiredly.

He laughed. "I guess I'm not what you were expecting, am I?"

"No...but neither is your sister. I honestly, no offense intended, expected a cold-hearted witch...but I got Selene here...who is just as kind as Mir and Diana...and Astra,"

"Why do you think I chose them in the first place?" Selene raised an eyebrow. "They best reflected my demeanor, and what I represent. The feud between the Solari and Lunari was never intended. It wasn't something we were expecting, actually."

Cira gave a wry grin and looked at Helios.

"So _why_ us," she grinned, "Honestly, I'm not that funny and memes aren't my thing...I have to explain certain cultural things to Leo a few times too...dear Lord don't get her started on aliens...I'm never letting Arthur show her another sci-fi movie again…"

Helios smirked. "Don't you play innocent with me. I know for a _fact_ that you can be pretty coy when you want to be. But that's not the real reason." He trailed off, thinking for a moment. "The two of us made our decisions because, as Selene said, you best represent what _we_ represent." He gestured to himself. "Me? I'm the sun. I'm light. Warmth. Compassion. But at the same time, I'm not somebody you want to piss off. Especially when you hurt someone close to me." He grinned. "Sound familiar?"

She gave an embarrassed smile.

"I... _do_ tend to lose my temper when someone I love is hurt…" she admitted, "Particularly one of my kids...even this little rascal here,"

Vesper gave a grin and gave her mother a kiss before hugging her again, hiding her face in her mother's shoulder.

"I can't say that this'll work forever, though." Helios said, folding his arms and leaning against the doorframe. "This kind of thing's never happened before. Honestly, I'm not even sure why you're back in control. I half-expected Leona to come out hurling death-threats. And wouldn't _that_ have been fun?"

"...You don't hear her right now…" Cira deadpanned, "You broke her momentarily. If this isn't forever...I at least want to spend what time I have left with my family...even…"

Her face fell.

"Oh...that's right...I forgot," Cira whispered, "Not everyone is here…"

She shook her head again, it was for the best they weren't here. If she snapped again…

She looked up at Helios and Selene.

"I think I can walk...I just needed to restart," she started to move, but froze, "Vesper…"

"...Yeeeeessssss?" she asked innocently.

"Oh don't pull that tone with me," Cira scolded, "Are you attempting to hack my mainframe again?"

"Wh-What? NO!" Vesper sputtered.

Cira raised an eyebrow and gave a soft rumbling growl that definitely sounded more machine than human.

"...Ok...maybe just a little..." Vesper admitted, "But I wanted to help you get moving faster!"

"Oh? _What ho?_ " Helios said. "You can _hack_ Cira's mainframe?"

A sinister grin slowly spread across his face. "Good to know…"

"No, she can't...she can _try_ , but she hasn't succeeded," Cira huffed, crossing her arms, "Firewall's too strong to let anyone but Jayce, Viktor and their Chosens in,"

"Challenge accepted, then." Helios replied, stretching out his arms and cracking his fingers. "But, ah, that can wait until later. We've got other stuff to take care of right now."

"I'll be damned." Selene said. "You're actually putting off memes?"

"Only for a little bit." He replied. "Priorities, and all that." He looked over at Cira. "Think you can walk? The others are going to want to meet you. And an explanation."

"I can walk," she nodded, slowly sitting up, wincing as she heard the creaking of the struts that made up her arms and legs, "That is _one_ thing I haven't missed…"

She got out of bed, Vesper hopping off and nearly bouncing up and down next to her.

"We gonna see Daddy?" she asked.

"I'd hope so," Cira told the little girl, gently stroking her head.

"Eh, don't get your hopes up." Helios said sheepishly. "I...might've forgot to mention this, but Pantheon woke up just before I came to see you." He grinned awkwardly. "The others may or may not be, ah... _wrestling_ with him right now. We should probably, uh...you know…"

Cira was already out the door.

He blinked. "Geez, for an old lady, she moves fast."

"Wait for me!" He said, stumbling in his haste to follow, his sister right behind him. He wasn't lying. She could _move._

"Damn, I must be out of shape if it's this hard to keep up with her." He muttered. "So much for my six pack…"

"HEY, CIRA!" He called. "They're in the throne room! Jarvan wanted a place he could keep an eye on him while conducting his business! It was kind of a stupid idea, but...yeah, it was a stupid idea. Whoopsies."

She apparently heard him, for she ran in that direction.

 _"Please be all right…"_ she thought to herself, _"Please come back to me…"_

The throne room was round in shape, supported by dozens of white marble pillars that went all the way up to the central dome in the middle. The floors were a polished sapphire shade, banners of the same color adorning the walls. The throne itself stood on a circular dais in the center, flanked by seats for members of the king's court in front of him. Two towering statues of Demacian warriors rose behind it, while in front stood a pair of posts in the shape of enormous wings.

"Damn, Jarvan's got a nice pad." Helios whistled, as the four of them entered. "We gotta do some remodeling to the Solari temple after we - _oh my gods…_ "

Jarvan, along with the rest of the Demacian champions, had apparently given up on conducting any sort of business while Pantheon was subdued. He had broken free of his bindings (which had been applied shortly after arrival) at some point, and was now surrounded, spear and shield in hand.

"Damn it Jarvan, I thought I told you to keep him tied up!" Helios said, slightly exasperated. "I know that he's the Aspect of War, but _come on._ "

"...Arthur…" Cira whispered, slowly walking forwards, "Oh...Lord _no_ …"

"Well, he actually doesn't mess around with this kinda stuff…" Helios muttered under his breath. "But that's not really important right now, so…"

Cira ignored him, walking closer to her husband, who was glaring at the other Champions, _daring_ them to attempt to move towards him. He saw what he thought was Leona and he relaxed slightly, still on edge, but less than before.

"Can you hear me?" she whispered, coming closer, ghosting through the ring of Champions towards the raging Warrior.

"Of course I can hear you," he growled, "I am not deaf,"

"Not _you_ ," Cira snapped, coming to a halt mere inches from him, "I am talking to my husband, Pantheon. I want to speak with him,"

"Right, so this is _Cira,_ " Helios gestured to her. "She's a friend, and she'll be staying for a while (hopefully), and you probably don't remember her, but I'll get a scrapbook out and show you all the photos I took of your shenanigans together and...I'll stop now."

"This isn't you," she told him, "This soulless shell of war is not the Pantheon I know, just like this heartless religious tyrant isn't the Leona I know. I want the kind, courageous Pantheon that Leona fell in love with...and I know you want the gentle, compassionate Leona that you fell in love with. What _I_ want...I want my husband, Arthur, back, Pantheon. And you _will_ give him to me!"

Tears streaked down her face as she reached for his helmet, he flinched, but made no movement to stop her as she took it off...revealing a handsome, tanned face, a small scar on his cheek from where a dragon had clawed him and curly ebony hair that came to the nape of his neck. She put her hands on his cheeks as the helmet clattered to the floor.

"I'm begging you...please come back to me, Arthur...I'll never ask for anything again…" she pleaded, watching as his eyes flickered with a pure blue and the muscles in his neck twitched, "It might not be for long...but I just...I want to spend what time I have with you...please…"

She kissed him, her tears streaming down so that she could taste them...and then it became stronger as _his_ tears joined. She pulled back in shock just to see the sapphire gaze in Pantheon's face.

"Cira…" Arthur croaked hoarsely before nearly crushing her to his chest, stroking her hair, " _Cira..._ oh God it is you…"

Suddenly, an unearthly growl was heard as figure with a dark, cracked mask appeared in the room. She looked like Dianne, but… An arrow flies through the room, past the reunited couple.

Cira's eyes tracked the arrow and her heart froze as she saw where it was going.

"VESPER!" she shrieked, diving to the little girl and shoving her out of the way…

Taking the arrow in her stead.

"MAMA!" Vesper wailed as the Solari hit the ground with an audible 'oof!'.

Golden eyes glared heatedly at the imposter before fading back to blue.

A second figure appears, panting a bit. A glowing circle appears around the three. "Not here. Not yet," the girl mumbles. Dianne mumbles.

"Mama…" Vesper whispered as Cira pulled the arrow out.

"Agh, Dianne, I'm not sure I _want_ your arrow when it comes…" she joked weakly, "Then again...if _this_ hurts, I don't want to know what Wolf does. Thank you for saving _me_ for once, heh,"

"It hurts because you don't have a Ma-" Dianne paused and slowly turned to see the woman on the ground. The girl rips the mask off of her face, revealing a scar ravaged face, all too similar to how Dianne's had on earth. "Cira…"

"So that's what is under the Kindred's Mask," Cira smiled, "It's good to see you too, Dianne. It's...been a long time,"

The reaper turns away and quickly covers her face with the mask. "It… has." She turns to look at the retreating 'Lamb.' "She attacked me earlier, then ran off. I have no idea who or what she is… I can't tell even her name…"

Vesper bit her lip and gave a soft sound of embarrassment.

"Vesper?" Cira asked, "What is it, Stardust?"

"I know who she is…" Vesper admitted, "I...kinda brought her here when you and Daddy were still cursed and fighting...she's another Dianne Faye...just...from a different world. She got caught up in the Curse and it did somethin' to her,"

"Oh _gods_ , not _this_ again." Helios sighed. "I _hate_ it when there's an interdimensional crisis."

"I didn't know what to do!" Vesper yelled, "My parents are cursed and fighting, _what else do you suggest!"_

"She does have a point," Seluna said gently, "if any of us were in that situation...I mean...even if Caleb, Gabriel or Jay were in that situation...wouldn't you expect them to do everything they could to help us?"

"I know Gabriel would," Kaiden nodded.

"So would Jay," Jonathan agreed.

"I think you all know where I stand on this, so I don't think I have to make my intentions known." Helios said, folding his arms. He smiled. "Guess things are getting fun again, eh?"

"So...you mean normal," Cira deadpanned, "because crazy seems to be a theme around here,"

She gave a soft hum as she touched her chest, frowning.

"Well, that's new...I guess there is some of the old you still in here after all…" she muttered.

"Is she finally behaving?" Helios asked. "Or does she still have to stay in time-out?"

"She's the one who dived in front of Vesper," Cira explained, "She's currently giving death threats to the other Dianne for trying to hurt our Stardust. I mean she's obviously still psycho but there's still a bit of the Leo I know there...I'd really like to be able to talk to my Champion like I used to be able to,"

"Well, we'll have to figure that part out later." Helios drew his lips into a tight line. "I don't have any bright ideas at the moment."

A cheeky grin spread across his face.

The other Dianne began slowly trying to back away from the larger group.

"...I've seen that grin on Cira's face one too many times...I never like where it goes…" Arthur started, only to get elbowed by his wife, "Ow! You have metal elbows, remember!"

" _That_ I do remember," she teased back, "and yet you keep forgetting that I'll do that every time,"

"...Touché,"

"Hm." Helios hummed, suddenly realizing something. "I don't suppose that any of _you_ remember now that Cira's back, do you?" He asked the Demacian champions.

"They don't, not really," Amelia replied, "Well, I know Lux is shocked that such a 'horrible, cruel Champion' has Cira as a Chosen. There's only a handful of Champions that know about Cira...the rest of them are kinda shocked Leo _and_ Panth have Chosens...even Andrew believes they don't,"

Cira's face fell.

"Even Andrew...huh?" she asked, a mixture of sorrow and rage flitting across her face for a split second.

"He's a Diana main now and supposedly one of the best 'Assassin' Summoners," Ryo said, folding her wings back.

"He used to main _us_ ," Cira huffed, " _I_ was his favorite…"

"Not since your 'Lore Change'," Val said, crossing her arms as her own projector flickered, revealing violet circuits, "He's still Andrew...but it's getting him to believe you're you that we've all had a hard time with,"

"I might be able to convince him." Helios cracked his knuckles. "One way or another."

"Helios, _no._ " Selene chided. "You can't just run around beating the living daylights out of whomever you please."

He snickered.

She paused, then deadpanned.

"Remind me again which of us is older?" She asked.

"Me." He replied. "Doesn't mean I have to be mature all the time, though."

"Dear God, you act very similar…" Arthur whispered.

"I do not!" Cira protested.

"You used to teach high school choir. You _told_ me you had to stay young at heart. Ergo, you acting immature quite a few times,"

"Hush up,"

"If only I had popcorn for this." Helios said. "This is better than IMAX."

"Sorry...it's just...been a while since we've been able to see each other as well...us," Cira started, looking down, "Leo and Panth don't exactly get along well right now…"

"Oh, believe me, I could tell." He grimaced. "Not much of an improvement on a relationship, in my opinion."

"Whatever relationship they have is purely physical," Arthur growled, "The love they both had is gone now…"

"It took us both forever to get them to admit it to each other," Cira added, "Now...well…"

"Yeah, that's the question of the day, isn't it?" Helios stroked his chin thoughtfully. "How are we going to get the both of them to remember? I've never really tried erasing amnesia before, and even if I had I'm not sure it'd work this time."

"Maybe something to jog it as well as your help?" Cira suggested, "But I don't know what exactly…"

"What about Artemis and the twins?" Kaiden asked, "I mean, if anything could probably bring them back it would be those three combined with Vesper,"

"You might be right," Arthur nodded.

"Of course, there's still the matter of the barrier." Helios reminded them. "Like, uh...how we're going to get it down."

"Not even Hailey is strong enough to break that," Cira told him, "But Vesper can bring them back...they're full Valorian, not a mix like the rest of us. That's why they are able to go through. A full blood Valorian or Terran can come and go, but those of us who have both worlds...can't,"

"Mmm." Helios frowned. "Hey, speaking of Hailey, where is she? And Aurelion, Diana, Mir and Asterios for that matter. I could've sworn they were here when I left to check on you."

"They're outside." Jarvan replied. "Diana...wasn't comfortable with the idea of meeting Leona again."

"Can you blame her?" Cira asked softly, "After what Le- _I_ \- did to her? She'd be terrified to see me again…"

"I guess I'll have to provide emotional support, then." Selene replied. "I should be able to keep her from panicking."

"There's also Mir, too." Helios added. "That should make things easier."

"Well, Cira, what say you?" He asked her. "Ready to face the music?

"If it'll help make up for everything I let her do, yes," Cira nodded.

Helios paused. "Wait…" He slowly turned back to look at the alternate Dianne. "...The weird thing is still here."

Poker faces ensued.

She had been backing up and was almost at the door when Helios spotted her again.

"Now where do you think _you're_ going, young lady?" Helios mock-seriously said, placing his hands on his hips. "You're still grounded!"

The girl hissed and turned to run.

"...So, do we chase her, or…" Helios trailed off.

"We can't let her run rampant," Arthur said, "She attacked Vesper, who didn't have a Mark...what's to stop her from hurting an innocent?"

Cira just held Vesper close, gently stroking the girl's vibrant red-orange hair. The Radiant Dawn's Chosen's eyes flickered with faint gold as Leona kept a wary eye on the second Kindred.

"Well, in that case, _tally-HO!_ " Helios declared. "Is catching Death a good idea? Probably not! But let's do it anyway!"

"Catching Death?" Val asked, her projector failing and letting her violet circuits gleam, "Haven't done that yet, but I can sure try,"

"I'll do my best to try to catch her as well," Dianne declared.

The other Kindred stared at the group for a moment longer before running off, one of the two Wolfs following her.

"After her!" Vayne growled, giving chase, her enhanced limbs making her naught but a violet streak.

Dianne nodded and dashed after the project, the other Wolf at her side.

"Hoo." Helios blinked. "This is getting intense."

"You should probably follow them." Selene recommended. "It wouldn't be wise to let her escape - not when she's so rabid."

"In a minute." Helios pretended to check a nonexistent watch on his wrist. "I think I'll let her have a bit of a fighting chance first."

"You mean you want to sucker her into thinking she can escape." She said.

"Now why would I do _that?_ " He smirked.

"Because you have an addiction to triggering people, and this is probably the most obvious course of action for you to take." She replied drily.

"Guilty." He shrugged.

"Still, I'm surprised that you'd want to stay here." She said. "Considering…"

"Considering...what?" He asked.

Selene subtly gestured to Shyvana and Sonja, without the two of them noticing.

Helios realized what she was implying. His head started steaming, sweat trickling down his neck.

" _You could've just let it slip my mind._ " He whispered.

" _I can't let you have **all**_ _the fun, now can I?_ " She whispered back.

"How long will you wait?" Arthur asked.

"Any second now." Helios promised. "Just wait…."

"For what?" came Cira's question.

The Radiant Dawn's Chosen didn't look at Helios...instead, her mismatched gold and blue eyes watched the door where the imposter Kindred had bolted, as if afraid she'd come back for her little Stardust.

"For our new friend to start thinking she can escape." He replied. "Then I'll ruin her fun and laugh about it. Enthusiastically."

"You do realize that this might have consequences, don't you?" His sister asked.

"We all have to make sacrifices for the sake of entertainment, Selene." Helios said. "It's just what we do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

 _CRACK_

"What was that?" Selene asked.

"Probably the fourth wall breaking apart."

"Again, what?"

"Again, nothing."

"Nothing is never nothing here," came the chuckle from Arthur, "If you're anything like Cira...Nothing means mischief in my book,"

"You've been reading the wrong book then!" Cira retorted.

"And mischief means theft…"

"...I know where this is going…" Cira sighed, "You're never going to let that go are you?"

"And theft means _my pies_!" Arthur finished, grinning wickedly.

"It was just _once!_ Let it go!" Cira sputtered, "And besides! It was Panth's cooking not yours! You burn water!"

"But Panth's cooking is _good_ ," Dianne mumbled.

"Exactly," Cira agreed, "Which is why Vesper and I took the pies,"

"Daddy couldn't catch me!" Vesper giggled, "I took his apron and ran around like I was a superhero with it around my neck!"

"You were cute," Arthur teased, ruffling her hair, "But you got grounded,"

Dianne, laughed, "As cute as Astrid when she stole my mask?"

"Almost...not as cute as Artemis bringing home her 'kitty' though," Arthur smirked getting an unamused look from Cira, "Wonder if the little cub is ok...since we've been kinda... _out_ of it…"

"Worry about it later, dear," Cira told him, "There's a wild Lamb on the loose,"

She turned to Helios and raised an eyebrow.

"Aren't you going to help catch her?"

" _Wait…_ " He held up one finger. " ** _Wait..._** okay. Now."

 ** _B  
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Cira's facial muscles began moving slower and slower, the rest of her body following suit. The same was true for the rest of the room's occupants, even Selene, though her expression changed to one of dry amusement before it froze completely. The surrounding area took on a strange golden hue, as if one was viewing it through a piece of amber. Golden-white after images of Helios's form flashed whenever he moved, casually observing the throne room.

He dropped to one knee, stretching the other leg out while placing both hands on the floor in front of him. His cape burned away, leaving him dressed in only his armor plating.

"Usain Bolt, eat your heart out." He said.

 ** _B  
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Helios sprang, becoming a flash of golden light as he crossed the entire length of the palace in less than the span of a nanosecond. He ran through every corridor and hallway, searching for the frenzied clone of Dianne.

 _There you are._ He thought, just as he spotted her. Vayne and Val were close behind, with Dianne right beside them.

She was outside in the gardens jumping over a bush when he spotted her. She didn't turn to look behind her before trying to shove her way through the fence.

 _Brilliant. Walking straight through a solid object._ He deadpanned. _Truly, her skills as an escape artist know no bounds._ Unless this version of Dianne had mastered Kayn's shadow techniques, Helios very much doubted that she was going to escape that way.

The girl growled in frustration before running off towards the front gates. Which… was no smarter than her original idea.

" _DROP KICK!_ " Helios yelled, suddenly appearing in front of her. He did just as he described, slamming both of his feet into her face, knocking her off her feet. As she landed a few meters away, Helios neatly transitioned into a slide, resting his head in one hand as he slid to a stop in front of Vayne and Dianne.

"Oh hey guys, what's going on?" He asked. "Hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

"Did you just… drop kick her mask?" Dianne asked quietly.

"I did." He replied. "And?"

The girl rubbed her own mask. "Oww…"

He blinked. "What?"

"This thing would hurt if it was smashed against your face," she muttered.

The Hunter Project gave a wince under her visor, her hand reaching up to it as if imagining it being shoved into her face as well.

"Ok _now_ you're just showing off," she huffed, her projector flickering to her 'classic' skin, "So is she considered caught?"

The girl in question suddenly groaned from the ground. "What…?" She promptly passed back out, this time only from exhaustion.

"Some things...just stay the same regardless of worlds," Vayne chuckled, only to give a slight frown, "Of course I am capable of laughing, you know that Valencia!"

"Yeah, but it still sounds edgy as hell." Helios quipped.

Vayne rolled her eyes under her glasses before turning to the downed Kindred.

"Here is the Lamb...what about her Wolf?" she asked.

As he was mentioned, Wolf bounded over the front gate. Two wolves. They grinned at Vayne, baring their fangs.

"Um, Dianne…" the Night Hunter's Chosen started, "Which one is yours and which one should we be prepared to knock out…"

The girl smiled. "Why don't you take a guess?"

"This one?" Val asked tentatively, gesturing to one of the Wolfs.

"You could just ask them." Helios said. "And, y'know, if one of them tries to rip your head off even though you don't have a mark on you, you'll know which is which."

Val rolled her eyes.

"I might be augmented, but I _like_ having my limbs intact," she huffed, "Besides, I don't want Vayne going through another episode…"

"Booooooooooo." He said. "Her episodes are the best part."

"For _you_ ," Val grumbled, "I don't like hunting down Fiora and neither does Vayne when she snaps out of it..."

She rubbed her head as if in some phantom pain.

" _Especially_ if Leona is nearby...that shield _hurts_ ,"

The wolf huffed. " **I am hers,** " he growled, motioning to the Dianne on the ground.

"So are you going to try and, as Mister Sunny Sunshine said, 'rip my head off even though I don't have a Mark'?" Val deadpanned

He tilted his head. " **I love the Hunt, but I don't chase those without a Mark.** "

"Then explain why she attacked Vesper, who had no mark?"

" **Why would I know? She may be my Chosen but she has a free will.** "

"So you don't know what's going on in her head?"

" **I generally do, but she went quiet.** "

"Quiet?"

" **I couldn't hear her saying anything. Much less what she was thinking.** "

"The Curse maybe?" Val asked Dianne, "but it didn't effect you like that…"

"Might be because of who she's bonded to." Helios said, standing up to drape her clone over his shoulder. "Dianne's the Chosen of Kindred. Death doesn't need to care about a _spell_ to do its job. Death is constant." He blinked. "That...sounded emo as hell, but my point stands."

Dianne laughed. "It does make sense and plus, she's not from **our** Runeterra. It could have been made not to do anything to me, but she's technically not quite me."

"So we caught her, now what? And I'm _still_ curious to why she's attacking people without Marks,"

"We'll figure that part out later." He replied, walking back towards the palace. "For now, let's just add that to the agenda. Diana's probably having an aneurism as we speak."

"Ah yes...well, I'm almost excited to see the fireworks that come from that," Vayne chuckled before frowning, " _Yes_ I still have my emotions...it's just rare when I choose to express them,"

"They need work." He said.

"It's an improvement," her Chosen sighed, "Least they're coming back. As for now...let's go and see these fireworks,"

* * *

Cira held Vesper's hand as she and Arthur started walking towards the outer courtyard where everyone was waiting for them.

 _"You're going to see that_ heretic _?!"_ Leona's voice hissed angrily.

Cira's neck muscles twitched and her heart sank as she listened to her Champion's rage.

"Mama?" Vesper asked, putting an arm on Cira's, whose eyes flickered with a cold gold, "it's ok...we'll get her back and it'll be ok,"

Cira wearily stroked the girl's bright orange-red hair.

"I sure hope so,"

She saw the doorway leading into the courtyard and her body tried to lock up, tremors wracking her frame so hard that you could hear her armor rattling. Leona was throwing a fit, torn between stubbornly standing still and dashing forwards to end her sworn enemy as Diana's silver-blonde hair caught the sunlight.

"...I can't do this…" Cira whispered, "I can't go to face her…"

"You _can_ , Cira," Arthur reassured her, squeezing her hand gently, "It's just Mir...who's probably going to be _really_ happy it's you,"

"I'll deal with Diana." Selene added, standing on her other side. "My presence should be enough to soothe her for the time being."

"I hope…" Cira murmured, walking out into the courtyard.

Diana was peacefully talking with Asterios, a smile on her face unlike any Cira had ever seen. However, that smile immediately shattered as she spied Cira. Her silver eyes flashed and she immediately stood up, moonsilver blade in hand as she stood protectively before Asterios.

"...It's like Diana and Leona's personalities switched…" Arthur murmured.

"Asterios, please get out of here," Diana said softly, "I'll hold her off as long as I can…"

"Diana...I don't want to hurt you," Cira tried, dropping her sword and shield and, though it pained her, kicked them away.

"Forgive me if I don't believe you," Diana stated, not budging, "I'll admit, you _still_ terrify me...but I am _not_ letting you get to Asterios!"

Cira's face fell and her glow dimmed considerably as she held her arm, her gaze firmly locked on the cobblestones.

"Diana." Selene said, stepping to stand before her. "Enough. You are safe."

Her silver eyes were wary as she looked at the saddened Radiant Dawn.

"I still feel like I'm hunted," she said, "I don't trust her. I am sorry, Lady Selene, but I can't...not after what she's done. She nearly killed the kind people that took me in...who called me 'daughter' even though I was not. She dragged them out and executed them...and I could do _nothing_ ,"

"...You're wrong," came Cira's whisper, "She didn't kill them...they got out...Dianne rescued them and took them to Earth, to keep them safe,"

"Why should I believe you when all you've done is try to kill me?"

"I am not asking you to trust Leona, Diana." Selene said, placing one hand on her shoulder. "I am asking you to trust Cira, who wants nothing more than to help you. My brother will take care of his own representative."

"Speaking of which…" She looked over her shoulder to see that Helios, Vayne and Dianne had returned, with her clone in tow.

"I'm _baaa- **aaaaaaaack!**_ " He sang, depositing his captive at their feet. "So, what'd I miss? Anything good?"

"Not really," Zoe shrugged, "Just the other Aspects kinda arguing with each other...well...more like Diana showing Leona who's boss,"

"So it isn't just my husband and adopted sister that dislikes my Champion...it's you too, huh?" Cira asked, her glow dimming to complete dark.

"Well...I like you a bit more than him," she pointed at Arthur, "He keeps threatening my space doggy,"

"He nearly torched Targon," Arthur deadpanned.

"And you destroyed a bunch of his stars!" Zoe fired back before Vesper yanked back control, "Zoe! You can't talk to Daddy like that...no that's not true! You just...don't...remember…"

" _Play nice,_ you two _._ " Helios said, swatting the both of them upside the head. "Wrong place, wrong time."

"No hitting my child…" came the grumble from Cira as she held Vesper close, her glow lightening slightly before dimming again.

"I'm confused," Diana finally said, " _Why_ do I have to be near these three? Zoe I can understand...but Leona and the Pantheon…?"

"Because the four of us are Cursed and are fighting our Champions for control of our bodies?" Arthur put out, "Well...I don't know if Mir's struggling for control of you or not, Diana. She looks to be awful quiet,"

"...You mean my reason?" Diana asked, "I thought there was something off about that voice...asking for 'control'. It stopped asking a while ago...it's still here, talking about a 'Cira', 'Vesper' and 'Arthur'. But I don't know these names,"

"Those are our names," Vesper nodded, "I'm Vesper, Mama here is Cira, Daddy is Arthur. We're Zoe, Leo and Panth's Chosens...Mir is yours,"

"Chosen…" Diana shook her head, "I don't understand...I haven't picked anyone. Or...have I?"

She looked down at the Lamb on the ground and then up at the standing one.

"...But I think that can be talked about _later_. Why are there two Kindreds…"

"'Cause I mighta brought her here along with her Leona and Lucian," Vesper admitted, scuffing her foot on the cobblestones, "I just wanted to get some help,"

"Wait... _their_ Leona and Lucian?" Cira asked, "Vesper...you just said you brought this other Dianne,"

"You never asked!"

"Eh, I wouldn't think about it too much." Helios shrugged. "Alternate dimension stuff happens all the time."

"Except for the fact that there is another _me_ out there!" Cira protested, "What if the Curse got _her_ as well? You guys thought _I_ was bad...now there are probably _two_ of me...well...Leona. And if I slipped and couldn't regain control of her?"

She tapped her chest.

"You'd have two stupid fast, bullheaded, cruel... _YES_ I am talking about you Leona!" Cira snarled, glaring skyward, "YES you should be insulted! You should be _ashamed_ of yourself too!"

"Gods, I'm going to get a migraine, and I can't even hear her." Helios mopped his face with one hand, groaning. "How many universal glitches do we have to fix again? I lost count."

"There's just three visitors," Vesper mumbled, "But I think if it'll help...I can get my siblings and grandparents back...maybe that'll help loosen the Curse's hold?"

"I don't know if that'll be enough." Helios hummed, disgruntled. "I mean, we can _try,_ but if Aurelion can't do it, I doubt we can."

"Aurelion can't break the _Barrier_ ," Vesper pointed out, "He just deals with stars so it's not like he could really do anything with the Curse binding us. Sometimes a very strong feeling can make people snap out of their mindset...like when the other Dianne shot at me and Leona dived in front of it. It wasn't Mama...Leo did it. Though Mama would do it in a heartbeat,"

"You know it," Cira hummed, resting her chin on her daughter's head.

"Still, that doesn't solve _all_ of our problems." He replied, folding his arms. "We're going to need a _lot_ of help if we're going to fix everything."

"Well, there might be _one_ place that fits the criteria." Selene said. "Assuming that the residents agree to help us."

"Hm?" Helios raised an eyebrow. "Who do you mean?"

She met his question with a flat stare.

"You've only wanted to visit it for _years,_ Helios." She continued. "Where do you _think?_ "

He narrowed his eyes, his mental gears whirring about. A lightbulb went off as he figured it out. "You mean-"

"Yes." She confirmed.

"Oh. My gods. We _have_ to visit the Institute!" Helios began to get more excited than the situation deemed appropriate. He pressed his palms together and got on his knees, facing Cira with a pleading expression. " _Please_ tell me that we get to go over there! I've wanted to take a tour of the place for _ages!_ "

"We might have to go there," Cira admitted, "they're powerful enough that with help they might be able to temporarily break our curse. But I think it's over on Earth where it has to be broken as well...so it'll likely be temporary,"

"Whatever. We're going on a _ROAD TRIP!_ " Helios thrust both fists into the air, triumphant. He began pacing enthusiastically, pondering his future trip. He started ranting about the journey, too, clearly ecstatic that he was finally going to the one place on Runeterra he hadn't been.

"In all fairness, it would be more practical to go to the Institute first anyways." Selene advised, as she and Cira watched Helios ramble. "Their magical expertise would open up options for us to break down the barrier on both sides." She grimaced. "Helios also has a very _personal_ vendetta against several champions at the Institute, so we'd be hitting two birds with one stone. ...Though I can't say for sure that that's a good thing."

"Just...be careful. Because there are a lot of Champions that have related Chosens. Dianne for example is a friend to a few Shadow Isles Chosens as well as a sister to one. And no one is allowed to kill another off the Rift...or risk being 'expelled' from the League. That normally means being killed,"

Vesper tugged on Cira's arm.

"Should I get the rest of our family now?" she asked, "so that we can get everyone back to normal?"

"Oh my gods. _Yes!_ " Helios was pulled from his rant, placing both hands on his cheeks with glee. "I get to meet the kiddies!"

Vesper beamed as she held up a little hand and a pink, violet and gold portal appeared. She stuck her head through and seemed to be talking to someone on the other side. Cira slowly wandered forwards as Vesper backed away…

There was a screech and something shot out of the portal, tackling Cira to the ground. It looked like a smaller version of Leona's Project form before it flickered and glitched...into a little red-haired girl.

"Mama!" Artemis Athena, Leona and Pantheon's eldest blood daughter wept.

Cira started crying as well, stroking the crimson hair and laying kisses on it...right as a blonde and black haired blur shot from the portal and tackled Arthur to the ground, squealing happily as they, Apolla Helia and Ares Leonidas, were also reunited with their parents and older sister.

Three adults walked through as well. A tall, black haired, golden eyed man, a blond haired, golden eyed man and a petite red haired and silver eyed woman. Jagen, Orion and Astra...Pantheon, Leona and Diana's parents.

"I've missed you all...so, _so_ much…" Cira whispered as Apolla and Ares clambered over to her and hugged her as Vesper did the same.

Helios folded his arms, beaming. Family reunions were always a bit of a soft spot for him, really. His smile momentarily faltered as he remembered a key issue with his _own_ family, casting a sidelong glance at Shyvana and Sonja, who were watching. They caught him doing so, raising an eyebrow as a result. He shot them an apologetic smile, before returning his gaze to Cira and her children.

" _Are you ever going to tell her?_ " Selene whispered to her brother.

" _Maybe. I don't know._ " He whispered in reply. " _Now's not the time to discuss it._ "

She nodded, understanding his reasoning, allowing the scene in front of them to unfold.

Cira looked up from her children and spotted the three adults. Her face went white as she realized they were there.

"I...I am _so_ sorry…" she cried, "I didn't…"

She was cut off by Astra rushing her and hugging her tightly.

"You don't need to apologize...Cira," she told her, making Cira's face turn red, "oh don't worry...I've known about you since the first time Leona came home with you. I'm her mother...I know my daughters. I just didn't learn your name until recently. I kept silent because I figured you would tell me when you were ready,"

"I couldn't keep her from trying to kill you…" Cira whispered.

"You _saved_ us by stopping her," Orion corrected, "You also saved our memories of our children,"

"And for that, we thank you," Jagen finished, looking at Arthur, "both of you,"

Cira looked up at them.

"We'll get them back," she said firmly, "all of them,"

"Dang right." Helios affirmed. He was no fool - swearing in front of Cira's children wouldn't sit well with her. He _really_ didn't want to deal with her temper. It would be ill-timed on his part.

No, irritating Cira would come later, when he could begin scheming _properly._

"So!" Helios clapped his hands together, approaching the gathered family. "You must be my nieces and nephews!" He smiled uncertainly. "I mean, I _guess_ I'm technically your uncle?"

The three siblings looked up at him.

"Mama, who that?" Ares asked as Apolla looked curiously at Selene, getting up and toddling to her, looking up at the lunar goddess with wide stormy-blue eyes.

"That is Helios...basically he's the Sun,"

"You pretty," Apolla whispered up at Selene, a faint tinge of pink coloring her alabaster cheeks, "You look like Aunt Di-Di,"

Selene smiled affectionately. "That's sweet of you to say." She gently brushed a stray lock of Apolla's hair away from her forehead. "You're very pretty too, you know. You'll grow up into a wonderful woman one day, I can tell."

Apolla giggled before toddling back to _Diana_ and hugging the Lunar Aspect around the leg.

"Hi Aunt Di-Di!" she chirped.

Diana stared at the child, unsure of what to do...but she finally knelt down and stroked the pale blonde head.

"I'm afraid I'm no…" she froze, "How odd...I have the feeling I know you but I don't have family…"

"Yes you do, silly!" Apolla beamed, "Mama, Daddy, Zoe, Artemis, Ares and me!"

"'Polla…" Artemis said slowly, "Somethin's wrong with them...it doesn't...feel right,"

"We'll explain that later." Helios said. "Now, if you're not going to give your niece the love and affection she deserves, Diana, I'm going to steal her from you. Come here, you!" Helios swept up the giggling Apolla in his arms, holding her up. "I'm your Uncle Helios. I've wanted to meet you for a while!"

"Hi!" she smiled, "So how come Mama and Daddy never told us about you?"

"Apolla!" Artemis sputtered, "Be nice!"

"I am!" the younger sibling protested, "I wanna know!"

"Maybe he couldn't be around," Ares suggested, "Like Gram…"

Cira's eyes dimmed and her shoulder's sagged. Other than Astra, who the siblings called Yaya, her own mother, Gwen, was their only living grandmother. Someone that Cira hadn't seen for seven years...

"Well, to be fair, kiddo, your parents didn't even _know_ about me until a few days ago, up on Mount Targon." Helios said, noticing Cira's distress. "Ares said it for you: I couldn't be around. The Boss Man didn't want me to be."

He set Apolla down, spreading his arms with glee. "But now I'm here! And from this day forward, we are going to _party!_ "

He blinked. "After we fix our current predicament, of course."

Artemis nuzzled into her mother's chest, clinging to her armor.

"Don't leave me again," she murmured, "Don't make me leave,"

Cira stroked the scarlet head, humming a faint lullaby...anyone who had been on Earth could have recognized it as 'You are my sunshine'.

 _"...I know this child…"_ came Leona's voice, making Cira cease her humming as her head snapped up.

"You…" Cira blinked.

 _"I don't know_ how _...but I know her...I know all three of these children. The image of the eldest and the boy with a lion cub and wolf pup just came to mind,"_ Leona said, _"I remember not being happy about it...but there was amusement...what did you_ do _to me,"_

"You're remembering…" Cira whispered, a smile starting to appear on her face, like the sun from behind clouds, "It's working…"

"Ah, she's remembering?" Helios raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "It's about time."

"If we were to gather the other Chosen, perhaps she would continue to remember." Selene suggested. "She played a key part in training them, after all."

"And you know what that means!" Helios almost squealed. "So, kids, this might be a little abrupt, but _WHO WANTS TO GO TO THE INSTITUTE OF WAR?!_ " He asked, slightly crouching down while extending his arms, the way a parent might do to announce something exciting to their children.

"Excited much?" Cira chuckled, "It might be a little hard...considering Artemis seems to be completely content hugging me, right?"

"Mhmm," Artemis nodded, hugging tighter, "Not leavin' me again!"

"You're strong. Carry her." He drily replied. "We've got a _mission_ to complete, people!"

"If it's fine with you too, I mean." He said to Jarvan. "We've kind of been discussing this without you, and that seems pretty rude to me."

"It's fine with us," not Jarvan, but Zack, said, "Pretty sure that once you break the Curse on them...the rest of the Champions will remember. It was good getting to see you again, Cira,"

Cira gave a smile as she got to her feet, easily cradling Artemis to her chest.

"It's good to be back...even if it is only for a short while," she told him.

"Then pack up your things, boys and girls!" Helios said. "We're hitting the road!"

 **Family reunions are so nice, aren't they? For those of you confused...Astra and Orion are Leona and Diana's parents and Jagen is Pantheon's father. Artemis, Apolla and Ares are Leo/Cira and Panth/Arthur's biological children. And Asterios...well...he's a character of my own design. Diana is _fond_ of him and he is of her.**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)  
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)**

 **Pantheon-Arthur Jonson**

 **Jarvan- Zack Turner**

 **Garen-Kaiden Darkhound**

 **Lux-Amelia Pond**

 **Lucian- Jonathan Cross Jr. (Senna-Sienna Cross)**

 **Quinn- Seluna Russignol (Armstrong)**

 **Vayne- Valencia Storm**

 **Fiora- Victoria Meraux**

 **Galio- Stan Jackson**

 **Shyvana- Sonja Chadayev**

 **Xhin Zhao- Lex Fuller**

 **Taric- Ruben Synne**

 **Kayle-Ryo Kaida**

 **Zoe- Vesper Jonson**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 ** _Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)_**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 **Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)**

 **Leona-Janie Noble**

 _ **...And then there are**_ ** _Helios and Selene._**

 **Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!**

 **Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

 **Máriessë ar mára tecië**

 **Farewell and fair writing**

 **Elhini Prime signing off.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Time to head to the Institute! We've got humor, some sadness, _maybe_ someone remember...and we learn why ticking Helios off is a _bad_ thing...**

Chapter III

Janie anxiously paced across the room in Jarvan's palace where she and Arthur had been told to wait by Vesper. Dianne, the one the two had learned to follow wasn't there and, though incredibly similar to their own Runeterra, it wasn't their home and they had nothing to do except wait for the Aspect of Twilight to come get them.

"She didn't just leave us here, did she?" The chosen of the sun murmured, more to herself than Arthur, who responded anyways.

"Vesper brought us here to try to help her Aspects. She wouldn't just leave us here." He sighed and leaned back in his chair, tapping a foot against the ground. "I'm sure she'll be here any minute now-"

Giggling erupted from the hallway and Vesper, followed by three smaller children, bounded in.

The taller of the three other children, a red-haired, golden eyed girl...almost a spitting image of Janie or rather Leona…looked up at Janie and frowned quizzically.

"Mama was in the other room wasn't she?" she asked slowly.

The smaller girl, blonde and blue eyed...looked like a mix of Cira and Arthur...just broke out into a smile as she started towards Janie.

"Mama's fast though!" She beamed.

"I don't believe I'm your Mama," Janie laughed.

Arthur saw the children and offered them a smile. "And who would you be?"

Heavy footfalls thundered through the marble halls, a red-haired woman bolted through the door, her gold and scarlet armor clinking as she came, flanked by a man in Spartan-like armor.

"Zoe Eos, Artemis Athena, Apolla Helia, Ares Leonidas! What have I told you about running off in random places!" The other Radiant Dawn scolded,

picking up the red-haired child.

"To...not to?" The boy, Ares, asked, grinning.

The other Leona's storm blue eyes narrowed slightly.

"...I swear this child is your son…" she grumbled, glaring at Pantheon.

"What? He had to get his good looks from someone!" He protested.

She drove her elbow into his side, getting a pained yelp from him.

The other Leona looked up at Janie and Arthur apologetically.

"Sorry, they…" she stopped, looking at Janie, "Oh. So you two are the ones my daughter yanked out of their world,"

"I would assume that would make you this world's Leona and Pantheon," Arthur mused, while Janie nodded, still smiling at the children.

"You'd be right," Pantheon chuckled, "So...since we have multiples of us...mind giving us your names? Vesper never told us,"

"I'm Arthur," the man obliged, before his eyes flashed brown, "And Lucian."

The Chosen of the Sun smiled brightly, "I'm Janie and well… you probably know Leona as well."

"Quite well," the other Radiant Dawn chuckled.

"Well, coincidence here I suppose," Pantheon smiled, "My name is Arthur too. This is my wife,"

"My name is Cira," she smiled, "it's nice to meet you,"

The two pause, and suddenly, Janie drops her sword. "Ci...ra?"

"Cira Jonson," she nodded, "used to be Cira Noble before Arthur asked me to marry him. Are you alright?"

Arthur's projector flickers and he curls up on himself. Janie walks towards him and places a hand on his shoulder, a few tears streaming down her own face.

The other Leona, Cira's, face fell.

"I didn't say something wrong did I?" She asked softly, "I'm sorry if I did,"

The two stayed in the corner, curled up, comforting each other.

"Mama...Dianne is the First Chosen for them," Vesper said.

"First...but then…" Cira's frown deepened, "What...happened to _me_ then?"

"There's a reason their Arthur is Lucian," Vesper muttered, "Mama, their Cira said no to Leona...she got taken by Thresh. She's like Sienna,"

Cira's face went white.

"I...I...I'm so sorry…"

A new figure stumbles into the room. "You couldn't have known how it was for them," Dianne said quietly. "We'll hopefully get her back eventually." The girl leaned against the doorway and let out a nervous laugh. "Sorry 'bout earlier."

A shudder went through Cira's frame as gold started to flood through her eyes, the bare outline of a sword glimmering...before fading away as Cira reasserted control.

"Stop it Leona," she hissed softly before looking up at Dianne, "I'm glad you're back to normal...I just hope we can get that way as well,"

"Let's just say… I had no idea of what was happening around me and I could barely hear Lamb in my own mind, let alone anything around me…" she sighed. "Should've stayed a bit longer to listen, huh, Vesper?"

Jane slowly looked over to Cira again and then at herself before moving her lips, mouthing something. Arthur's projector kicked back in his eyes shining brown. "He'll still be out of it for a bit."

Vesper nodded.

"Probably woulda been a good idea,"

Cira looked at Janie, pain clear on her face.

"I always wondered what would have been if I _had_ said no," she admitted, "Now especially. I've caused so much pain and suffering with this Curse on me that I wish I had. But the pain I'm seeing right now...makes me realize I'm glad I said yes. Because I'd be with my little sister…"

She came up to Janie and smiled, putting a hand on the younger woman's shoulder.

"But, my little sister makes a pretty good Radiant Dawn," she smiled, "We Nobles are a tough bunch, right lil' sis?"

She looked up at the woman, her sister, and gave a small smile. "We are." Suddenly, she hugged Cira tight. "I miss my sister and I won't make you replace her, but thank you for understanding what happened for us."

"You'll always be my little sister, no matter what world you come from," Cira told her, "Always wondered what would have been if Leo Chose you, haha. Now I know. Always figured we'd be like her two sides. You'd be her fighter, her sword...I'm more of a protector, so her shield,"

She turned to Lucian's Chosen and her smile dimmed slightly as she came to him.

"Lucian...will he let me talk to him?" she asked.

"He's listening, currently. He's upset but aware of what's going on around us." The project responded.

"I know he's upset," she sighed, "I don't blame him at all. Arthur, I know you think that she left you because she didn't know how much everyone loved her. That's not true. If she's anything like me, and I'm pretty sure I know me...she loved you dearly. Believe me, when Leo came to me I thought I was being tricked, that some cruel joke was being played on me. Honestly, I half accepted because I figured 'hey, I'm gonna die anyways, so what's the difference'. But never think she didn't love you. Because she did...so, _so_ much,"

She hesitantly put her hands on his shoulders.

"She wouldn't make the same decision twice if she had the chance. Hence why she became Senna's Chosen is my guess," Cira told him, "She'll come back to you. Senna and Lucian here have...heck they've got a sweet little boy who's only a couple months old already. Hold your faith, keep it because your Sun...no, your _Light_ , will shine for you again. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

His eyes faded back to blue slowly. "You mean this, right? That she knew we wanted her to stay? That we loved her? She was just confused and scared?"

"So is everyone who thinks they are about to die," Cira said, "I don't think she wanted to leave you. But she had no choice. She knew she was dying. Her one wish would be to tell you that she loved you...something I was afraid I'd never get to tell _my_ Arthur. But like I said...she'll come back to you. Just keep faith and keep going for her. We Projects tend to be strong...she'd want you to be that for her,"

He gave a small nod. "Thank you."

Dianne smiled at Vesper, then at her two fellow Chosen.

Cira tapped her chin, humming slightly.

"Since there's two of us...it'll be hard for people really to tell us apart," she stated, "Maybe…"

Her form flickered as the hologram died, sending her now ivory locks tumbling down her back.

"There," she smiled, "Now they'll be able to tell us apart,"

"Ugh, are you guys done in there?" Helios smirked from his position in the doorway, leaning against the frame with Selene behind him. "I felt like I was going to vomit."

"You can't handle family reunions then?" Cira teased, her visor flickering, "Janie here is just an alternate version of my little sister and this Arthur is an alternate version of my husband so…"

"I know. I was watching the whole time. Like a stalker." His mirth briefly faded as he mumbled " _And for the love of gods I hope I never have to have_ my _family reunion, either._ " under his breath, just so that no one could hear.

Dianne tilted her head at Helios, but said nothing.

"So, you're Leo's Chosen from the other side of the interdimensional fence, huh?" He asked Janie. "She's not, uh...by any chance….?" He twirled his finger in a circle next to his head, whistling simultaneously.

"No curse here," the girl, with now golden eyes laughed. "And my Chosen and I are good for it. No offense."

"None taken." He replied. "Nice to see you with a clear conscience for once, Leo. It's a nice change, compared to what I've had to deal with in recent years."

"It's nice to see you as well though, is there a reason you haven't appeared before?" Leona tilted her head.

"Morbid curiosity, I guess." He cracked a grin. "I have a bit of a fascination with mushy moments, even though it's not necessarily good for my health."

"You're just irritated because then you get too emotional to meme for a while." Selene said.

"I-" He opened his mouth, then blinked, squinting as he processed her statement. He begrudgingly shut it, folding his arms. "I want to deny that, but…"

"You can't." She finished.

"Sadly."

"Well at least _one_ Leona is sane," Cira chuckled, "Maybe you can help me keep _her_ under control. Sound good lil sis?"

Leona's eyes flashed and Janie nodded, smiling. "Sounds good to me."

Artemis came up to her mother and pulled on the flexible metal that was part of her 'skirt'. Cira knelt down to be eye level with her daughter, the slight hissing of hydraulics accompanying the move.

"Oh...I forgot...you've never seen me like this," she apologized, "Sorry if I scare you…"

"You look _cool_ Mama!" Ares chirped coming up as Artemis put her hands on her mother's cheeks.

"But I can't see your eyes…" Artemis protested, patting her mother's visor.

Cira gave a smile and reached up, struggling slightly, but managing to pull off the helm with a slight hiss of pain.

"That better?" Cira asked.

"Mhmm!" Artemis hummed, hugging her mother around the neck.

Dianne very carefully poked Helios' shoulder. "Hey, question?"

"Hm?" He said. "Yeah? What's up?"

"It would probably be best if I didn't ask it in here." She motioned towards the hallway before walking out of the room.

"Wait here." Helios told his sibling. He checked to make sure that Cira and Janie were still engrossed in their conversation, then followed Dianne out into the halls.

"Okay, so...this is unexpected." He said, when they were out of earshot. "Don't get me wrong, it's nice that you want to talk, but I didn't think you'd be the one to initiate."

"Well before I was Chosen I wouldn't even been able to really talk to you," the girl admitted. "But I overheard you say something about you having your own family reunion? Do you have family here or something?"

Helios stiffened with a start.

"Uh…" He sweatdropped. "Noooooooooo…..? I have no idea what you're talking about….?"

The girl's eyes narrowed. "That's definitely not suspicious and I could just ask Lamb…"

"Lamb, if you tell her, I'm docking your pay." Helios replied. "You won't have any way to pay for those midnight churro runs of yours."

"So you do have family here." Dianne stated, an amused tone in her voice. "You're trying way too hard to cover up not having family. So who is it?"

"You can pry the answer from my _cold dead hands._ " Helios sniffed, turning his head up haughtily.

The girl went quiet for a moment, then yelled, "SELENE?"

" _SISTER NO!_ " He shouted.

"I'm not going to say anything this time!" She called from down the hallway. "This is a personal matter, and I'm not feeling inclined to get in the way of his responsibility! He'll get to it when he gets to it, don't pressure him about it!"

The reaper huffed and leaned against the wall. "Fine."

"Is there...anything _else_ you'd like to talk about, maybe?" Helios asked. "That preferably _isn't_ extremely uncomfortable for me to answer?"

The girl tilted her head. "Well… is there a way for you to help our Cira? It would help Janie and Arthur. Leona too, seeing as how she was going to choose our Cira and got denied, and then the girl was immediately snatched up by Thresh…"

"I...really have no idea." He grimaced, scratching the back of his head. "That's why we're going to the Institute, isn't it? Once we get Andrew to remember, he can start pulling some strings to get us the help we need." His expression hardened. "Plus, there are a few champions that I'd like to have some very _choice_ words with. They'd gotten off the hook when I was banned from making contact with them, but they're not getting away from me this time."

"Okay. We might as well head back then. That's all I really wanted to ask you," she mumbled.

"Look, I get that you're curious, but…" He sighed. "I'm not really ready to talk about it."

"I didn't realize it was a topic you would rather not discuss, so I apologize for trying to force it."

"You'll find out eventually." He huffed. "It's probably going to be all _kinds_ of fun, but that's what I get when I've put it off for so long, I guess."

"Well according to Lamb and Wolf you're our employer so I suppose I'll be on your side when the time comes," the girl smiled beneath her mask.

"I appreciate that." He replied. "Remind me to give the three of you a raise when I've got the chance."

The girl laughed. "Well, I would be off to get Marks but… that isn't my job here, huh? It's the other me's."

"Guess that means you get a vacation for a bit, ah?" He said, folding his arms behind his back as they walked. "You should ask Lamb about those churro runs. They'd be a good way to spend the time, and you'd be surprised at what she'll tell you." He raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Assuming, of course, that your Lamb acts the same as mine."

The girl tilted her head, "About those... Wait Lamb you actually did that before you Chose me? We could go do it… Churros are good…"

"Something you should keep in mind, Dianne." Helios said, as they neared the doorway. "Runeterra's divine world? It's a lot zanier than most people think."

"I'll keep it in mind," the girl laughed.

"Are we all ready?" Cira asked, picking up Artemis as the little girl nuzzled into her mother's shoulder armor.

"Just about." Helios said, as the two of them reentered. "Are we taking Janie and Alternate Arthur with us?"

"I don't see why not," Cira shrugged, "they'd be bored just waiting here I believe,"

"We ready to go, then?" He asked. "I've got a lot on my agenda for the Institute. Things to see, friends to meet up with, heads to smash in, that sort of thing."

"Patience, Helios." Selene lightly chided. "Going in 'guns blazing' won't make a very good first impression."

"I'm sorry, but that's impossible." Helios replied. "I _always_ make a good first impression. Who could resist a face like _this?"_

"I can probably think of one," Cira chuckled, "but depends on how badly the Curse hit him…"

"Challenge accepted." Helios said, cracking his knuckles. "Gods _forbid_ that people don't find _my_ charisma attractive."

"Still wonder how Andrew is going to react to you," Cira grinned, "he…"

Her face fell slightly.

"Ah...right...he doesn't care for Leona much now…" she sighed, "Well, here's hoping we can break this Curse and get back to normal,"

"Guess that means we should get going then, eh?" He replied.

"Agreed," she nodded, "Oh...how in the world are we going to get _all_ of us there? The stones only transport about two people. And I doubt Janie and her Arthur are able to use theirs,"

Arthur shook his head. "Got bored waiting for Little Vesper and tested it. No result."

Dianne walked over to her two Chosen and leaned against the wall. "You could go and get some more people to come help transport us…"

"I believe that Zack, Sonja and Hailey will be able to help us," he said.

"We should probably go outside to meet them then," Cira suggested, "Since Hailey is ah...a bit too _big_ to come in here and I seriously doubt that Jarvan would like her messing up this place,"

"Mkay," Dianne smiled and walked back out the door. Arthur and Janie looked between each other and shrugged before following her.

* * *

Hailey was currently lying curled up in a 'ball', laying her massive head on her paws. Her tail twitched slightly as she gave a soft snort, sending steam billowing.

"Patience much?" Sonja chuckled as she leaned against the wall.

"I envy you for being able to take human form," Hailey huffed, lifting her talons and letting a tiny star play around them, "Least you can actually go inside…"

"You're stronger than me though," came the reply, "You'd trade your power for size?"

"...Sometimes I wonder,," she said.

"You two arguing over who the better dragon is?" Zack asked, walking up.

"No," Hailey snorted, "But you all know that I'm the better one,"

"Sure you are," Sonja grinned savagely, bearing her teeth, "But at least I don't hit my head on ceilings,"

Hailey gave a low, rumbling growl right as a high-pitched soundpierced through the air.

"'lioooonnnnnn!" a little boy's voice squealed happily as something rammed against Hailey's foreleg.

The Star Forger's Chosen looked down just to see the little, black-haired form of Ares.

"Ares," Aurelion purred, leaning his head down to gently prod the little boy.

Ares giggled and reached up, hugging Aurelion's muzzle.

"I miss you, 'lion!" the boy chirped, "But I back now! We gonna go stargazin' again?"

"Perhaps," Aurelion hummed as the other Chosens, children of Chosens, and deities came up.

The Star Dragon glared at Helios, almost daring his heart to say something about the little boy hugging Aurelion's muzzle.

Helios didn't say anything, getting the message.

Instead, he grinned, pulled up his phone and took a picture.

Aurelion rolled his eyes as Ares let go and bounded back towards his parents, laughing as his father swept him up.

"So," Cira started, "Who is going with who?"

"Mama," Artemis immediately stated, hugging her mother tighter.

"I goin' with Daddy!" Ares called.

"I'll take Apolla!" Vesper beamed.

"...I'll take, Janie was it?" came Diana's low voice, but when Cira looked back...the Scorn of the Moon's eyes were a deep brown.

"Mir!" She cried, hugging the Chosen, "it's good to see you!"

"Good to see you too," Mir chuckled, hugging her 'sister' back.

"I'd be glad to take their Lucian," Zack said, "Didn't catch your name…"

"He's my counterpart," Arthur stated.

"Ah, I see,"

Aurelion looked the gathered group. Seeing that only the other Dianne, Selene and Helios were left.

"Seeing as how I almost bet Dianne will take her counterpart…" Aurelion started, "I will take Selene,"

"Which leaves Helios, Sonja and Shyvana to take the last stone." Selene finished.

Helios blanched.

 _Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit **shit.**_ He thought, sweating profusely.

"Everything alright, brother dear?" Selene asked, knowing exactly what made him so nervous.

"Fine, fine, just fine!" Helios nearly squeaked, his voice strangled. "Why?"

"No special reason. Just checking." She replied.

Sonja extended her hand to him.

"Shall we go?" She asked, revealing the violet and scarlet stone, "or is there something else you want or need to do?"

Helios sucked in through his nose, then sighed, deflating. "No, not really." He took hold of the stone. "Let's just go."

Sparks of light shone throughout the courtyard, obscuring the Champions, deities and three children from view. When the world faded back in for them all, they found themselves standing in a marble hall with high ceilings and large windows that let the sunlight pour in.

"...Feels good to be back here," Cira said, looking around at her surroundings.

"Agreed...and not have it muted because you're locked in the trunk of a car while a crazy person's at the wheel," Arthur nodded.

"Guess I got the better end of the deal," Mir chuckled, "Mine at least was sane!"

Cira lightly shoved her friend, shaking her head.

"Hopefully, everything will go back to normal soon enough,"

"So, this is the Institute, huh?" Helios placed his hands on his hips once he'd materialized, taking in the sight of the room. "Gotta say, the decor's nice. Might make some good inspiration for renovations back at the Solari temple."

"The temple's _fine_ ," Cira shook her head, "It's just got a lot of crazy in it now,"

She pinched the bridge of her nose.

" _Yes_ , I'm talking about you. You'd think you'd learn that by now!" she grumbled.

"Mama?" Artemis blinked, "Who you talkin' to?"

"Don't worry about it, Sunshine," Cira told her, "Not anyone I want you to meet...at least not now,"

"It'll be pretty soon, though." Helios replied. "Right! Where to next?" He gestured towards the door at the other end of the hall. "Care to act as our tour guide for the occasion, Cira?"

"Best bet is probably to see Andrew," she said, starting towards the old, familiar route to the Summoner's office, "But...I don't really think that he'll be too happy to see me…"

"Good thing I'm here then," Mir grinned, putting a hand on Cira's shoulder, "He likes me. I'm his favorite,"

" _I_ used to be his favorite!" Cira retorted, "Hence why his Summoner Name is Daybreaker,"

"It's still Daybreaker...but he likes to break you," Mir chuckled.

"...I swear Diana's sense of humor is rubbing off on you," Cira grumbled.

Mir gave a bark of laughter and the 'sisters' kept going towards the office. As they reached it, Cira put a hand on the door, only to freeze.

"...I dunno if I can do this," she admitted, "He…"

"You have to," Mir told her firmly, "If you want to get Leo back to normal...even if it's for a little while,"

"And what about you?" Cira asked, "Do you want Diana going back the way she was?"

Mir gave a sigh.

"Yeah, I want the old Diana back," she said, "This...this isn't her. This is Leona in Lunari form. I like Diana for who she is...otherwise I would be Leona's Chosen, not hers,"

"Fair enough," Cira chuckled before looking at the door again, "Well...here we go…"

She knocked on the door and it swung open due to Andrew not being busy and allowing it to. Mir went in first, giving a smile as she saw the blond Summoner sitting at his desk.

"Ah, Diana, nice to see you," he smiled, "What brings you here? Leona didn't try to attack you again did she?"

"No," Cira said, walking in only to wince at the sudden change in Andrew's demeanor, "But then again...she's been kinda crazy for a while now,"

The warmth in Andrew's face suddenly went cold as he got up from his desk and the rest of the group came in.

"Leona," he greeted tersely.

"Cira, actually," Cira corrected, her heart aching as she watched her friend's face change upon seeing her, "Leona's Chosen? First Chosen? Ring a bell, Andrew? I was the first one you came to,"

"Dianne was," Andrew shook his head, "Honestly...Cira, was it? I'm sorry. Honestly I pity you for getting _her_. I'm surprised she has a Chosen to be honest...because I don't ever remember coming to you or have Leona come to me and ask for one,"

"Andrew, she's telling the truth," Mir told him, "You just...don't remember because of the Curse,"

"Curse? What Curse?" Andrew demanded.

"The one _they_ put on Targon," Arthur said, "Who turned Leona into a religious tyrant, Pantheon into a soulless shell of War and Diana into a 'pacifist',"

"That's not true, you've always been like…"

"Please," Cira begged, coming forwards only for Andrew to step back, "Andrew, this is not normal. You were a Support Summoner. Not an Assassin. Don't you remember?"

He shook his head and Cira turned to the others.

"I don't know what to do…" she whispered, a defeated air in her voice.

"Welp." Helios flexed his fingers outward, cracking the joints. "I guess that means it's my turn, then."

He walked over to stand in front of Andrew's desk, staring at him blankly. The summoner awkwardly stared back, unsure of how to respond.

Helios continued to stare.

And stare.

And stare.

And stare.

"What are y- "

" ** _SLAP OF RECOGNITION!_** "

Without warning, Helios suddenly backhanded Andrew across the face, sending him to the floor with an angry red mark on his cheek.

" _What was **that?!**_ " Selene briefly lost her composure, gesturing erratically to the scene with both hands. "Helios, what the _hell_ was that even for?! Just- ...I... _why?!_ "

" _What?_ " He turned the palms of his hands upwards in a shrug. "I thought it would work!"

"You thought it would-" Selene groaned, facepalming. "I...I don't even have the words. You've once again left me completely and utterly appalled."

"Before you get angry, Lady Selene…" Mir started, pushing back Andrew's sleeve, "look,"

The Assassin role 'tattoo' on Andrew's forearm seemed the fade, inverting and changing…

To what looked like a winged ward. The Support brand.

"I think he's back," she stated.

" _Wait._ That actually _worked?_ " Helios looked down at his hands, stunned. "What _sorcery_ is this? I don't recall that being in the instruction manual."

"Instruction manual, huh?" Arthur grinned, throwing a look at Cira, who glared at him, "Wonder if _you_ come with one,"

"I will put you through a wall," she threatened.

There was a light smack on her shoulder piece, getting a light clanging noise as Artemis's hand pinged off the metal.

"No hitting Daddy!" She scolded, "No hitting! It's bad!"

Mir bit her lip and tried to refrain from laughing...only to give a rather unladylike snort. Cira gave a sigh and looked at her daughter, closing one of her stormy blue, glass eyes.

"...Sometimes I think you listen to what I say a little _too_ well," she muttered.

A faint groaning noise came the floor where Andrew was stirring.

"What hit me…" he asked, sitting up.

"Andrew?" Cira asked, cautiously walking up to him.

Andrew's ice-blue gaze cleared and his eyes widened as he saw Cira.

"Cira...you need to get out of here," he started, panicking slightly, "there's a Cur-"

"It already happened, Andrew," Cira interrupted, "Why do you think it's me talking and not Leo?"

She gave a violent shudder as Leona tried to reassert control, but Cira fought her down...barely.

"...I was too late…" Andrew sighed, putting his head in his hands, "I failed,"

Janie and Arthur peeked past the rest of the group. "But they're okay. For… now at least," the man murmured.

Andrew looked up at the voice...then frowned.

"Whoever hit me...how hard did you do it? Because I'm seeing two Diannes and two Ciras…"

"No you're seeing normally," Cira chuckled, "they're from a different version of our universe...where I kinda said no to your offer,"

"...So _why_ are they here?" Andrew asked.

"You can blame my daughter for that,"

He pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head.

"Zoe...why does that not surprise me?"

"It shouldn't!" Vesper grinned, "I mean, I _am_ the Aspect of Twilight…randomness is kinda my thing,"

"If it's a problem to be here, I'm sure Vesper could take us back home," Dianne told the summoner. "We don't mind being here but we wouldn't want to cause issues for you."

"No it's fine," Andrew said, "just a shock is all,"

He turned back to Cira.

"How bad…" he started.

"Bad," She shuddered.

"She just started a war with Demacia is all," Mir shrugged, "And Panth helped her,"

"...What was the _Institute_ doing?!" Andrew demanded, "Didn't we try to stop you?"

"Nope," all four Targonian Chosens deadpanned.

"I think it was Ezekiel's orders," Arthur hummed.

"...I'm going to have a little _chat_ with the tribunal about him and his shenanigans," Andrew hissed, violet sparks spitting and snapping from his fingertips as he got up.

"Now Andrew," Cira warned, though she was grinning, "Murder is a federal crime…"

"So is letting two nations under our protection start a war with each other," He growled before looking at Helios and Selene, "You two I don't recognize. Who are you?"

"Gods. Literal, actual gods." Helios smirked. "Helios, the sun." A bowler hat crafted from solidified light formed in his hand, and he tipped it politely. "At your service."

"Selene, the moon." She dipped her head. "A pleasure."

"Gods, that is a new one," Andrew blinked, before shaking his head, "Andrew Summers, High Summoner of the Institute of War. Nice to meet you both,"

"Now that we all know each other," Cira said, "Is there any way that we can get these four back to normal?"

"I agree!" Vesper nodded, "I want her to remember all the mischief Artemis and I caused!"

Artemis giggled while her and Vesper's parents did _not_ look amused.

"I mean, I could try slapping them." Helios offered.

"No." Selene deadpanned.

"But-"

" _No._ "

" _Alright, alright, geez._ " Helios huffed. "Just saying, is all."

"You just want another excuse to slap someone." She drily replied.

"Hey, I need to warm up for the main event." Helios cracked his knuckles. "Got a lot of people on the hit-list, remember? Need to get my fists prepped."

" _Anyways,_ " Selene rolled her eyes. "Frankly, the two of us are at a loss for what do. The Curse is a rather...unique situation, one we can't say we've dealt with before. If we knew how to find a solution, we would have done so already."

"If anything, I can try to get a hearing with the Tribunal," Andrew admitted, "Powerful mages that might be able to at least lessen its grip for a little while. But this was forged on Earth…"

"Somewhere _we_ can't get to," Cira sighed.

"The problem is that they don't exactly take random requests," Andrew warned.

Helios chuckled, dark undertones belying his humor. " _Well._ I guess it's a good thing that _I'm_ here then. They'll listen to _me._ "

"As long as we get a hearing, without killing anyone," Andrew pointed out, "I don't care. This Curse hurt _my_ Champion. Altered myself as well. This is something that is wrong and should not be allowed,"

"And how long should it take to get a hearing scheduled?" Helios asked.

"Who knows," Andrew sighed, "And I doubt that you all want to stay here, or able to keep control for too long,"

Cira held her arm, a faint tremor running through her.

"I hope it's quickly," she whispered, "I don't think she likes being in the back seat…she's fighting even harder to get back in control,"

" _Leo,_ " Helios growled. "Make _one_ move out of line. I _dare_ you. See what happens."

Another shudder and Cira set Artemis down.

"She's easing up...but she's currently cursing y-LEONA! Where did you learn that! No you can't talk to people like that!"

She looked at Andrew.

"Please tell them that this is important...it's not fair. Not to me, not to her, not to _any_ of us,"

"I sent the message," Andrew said, "but again, I don't know when we'll get an audience…"

The scrying glass flickered and Andrew's gaze snapped to it in surprise.

"...that was far quicker than I expected," Andrew hummed, looking at the glass.

"Well? What's it say?" Helios asked.

"It is later today. So you'll have to hold a little while longer," Andrew told them.

Cira nodded and Arthur wrapped his arms around her, sitting his chin on her head.

"So basically we're free until you call us," Mir stated.

Andrew nodded.

"Just...don't break anything or any _one_ ," Andrew deadpanned, looking at Cira.

"You think I'm going to move from this office. That's funny," Cira chuckled, "No I'm staying here in case she gets out and you can restrain me. You all can go explore…"

"Ooo!" Apolla squealed, "I wanna see my pony! An' my fluffy goat!"

"I'll take her, Mama," Vesper smiled, "Don't worry, we won't get into _too_ much trouble!"

"Just...stay away from the Shadow Isles wing, alright? Unless Kalista is there," Cira warned.

"Promise Mama!" Apolla chirruped, "C'mon Ares!"

"You can go too," Cira told Artemis, who gave a soft whine, "Maybe you'll see Vasher and Torin…"

"But don't wanna leave you…" Artemis whispered.

"I'll be fine. Go see if you can find them," Cira nudged, getting Artemis to let go finally.

"Hey, Andrew, are there spots where the champions just hang out in general, by any chance?" Helios asked. "I have some business I need to take care of."

"Yes...but don't kill anyone…" Andrew warned, "You're meeting with the Tribunal in a little while, don't do anything to get them to _not_ help us,"

"Fine. Just point me in the right direction." Helios replied, his annoyance clearly visible.

"Down the hall, follow Vesper and her siblings," Andrew sighed.

Artemis reached up...and tentatively took Helios' hand, her glow surging brilliant gold as she made contact.

Helios smiled.

"Lead the way, kiddo." He said.

She gave a slight smile but gently tugged on his arm, leading him out.

* * *

The little group of children and deity walked through the halls. Apolla was constantly chattering about seeing her 'pony' and her 'fluffy goat' and Annie and many other champions. Ares followed his twin, expressing his want to see his 'puppy'. Vesper skipped ahead of them, watching and smiling happily as she was just with her family while Artemis quietly walked beside Helios, a faint sputter going through her form before settling as she kept looking back behind her.

"We're _heeeeeerrrrreeeee_!" Vesper beamed as they came into a more open area, where several Champions with their Chosens were milling about.

"Is that who I think it is?" a female voice asked, sounding as if many were speaking at once.

The area cooled as a spectre in archaic armor came forwards, a smile on her glowing face while her silver eyes shone.

"It _is_!" the spirit smiled, kneeling down in front of the twins, who immediately hugged her.

"Hi Kalista!" Apolla beamed, "Missed you!"

"We all missed you as well," the Spirit of Vengeance replied, "It's been dull without you three,"

She looked up at Helios, curiously cocking her head to the side.

"Who's your friend?" she asked.

"Technically? Your boss." Helios smiled, extending a hand. "I'm Helios. I'm also the sun. Nice to finally meet you in person."

"...Kalista, you never said you…" the Chosen muttered softly before shaking her head and taking his hand, albeit a bit warily, "I don't really think introductions are in order for me then...since apparently you're my 'boss',"

"I should probably get in touch with my employees more often, yeah." Helios smiled sheepishly. "You'd be surprised at how hard it is for me to juggle everybody. I've got a _lot_ of people working for me."

"So does the moon work for you as well…?"

"She's my sister." Helios explained. "She, ah...eh-heh...actually has to rein _me_ in when I go overboard."

"Well then," Krista blinked, "What about Tahm or some of the other embodiments of something or other?"

Helios started. Then, his expression hardened, his eyes narrowing as his fingers curled into fists. He looked over to where the River King was attempting to woo a Summoner into a deal, offering him gods-knew-what in exchange for a favor.

" _Kench._ " He looked down at Artemis, Ares, Apolla and Vesper. "Kids, you might want to hang back here. It's about to get ugly."

"Kalista. You're the Spear of Vengeance, aren't you?" He asked. "Because I've got a very _personal_ score to settle with that bloated bag of lard."

"Not allowed to kill/hurt Champions off the Rift," Krista grumbled, leaning on a spear as Artemis held tighter to his arm, "Artemis dear, why don't you come with me…"

The little girl gave what seemed to be a metallic whine before grudgingly letting go of Helios' arm and taking the Spear of Vengeance's.

"Your loss, then." Helios said. "Cover your eyes, kids. You're really not going to want to watch this."

He left the Spear of Vengeance with Cira's children, who looked nervous, fascinated and terrified all at once.

" ** _KENCH!_** " He yelled.

The River King looked up at his name, his eyes flickered as his Chosen came into control.

"Can I help you?" Agus asked, "Sorry, don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting you before. You have me at a disadvantage. You know my name, I don't know…"

Agus froze.

"Tahm...what is wrong with...oh," the Chosen blinked, "Well this isn't good,"

Helios couldn't have agreed more.

Before Tahm Kench could react, Helios's boot slammed into his chest. The force was so great that the catfish was flung all the way across the room, smashing into the wall. Summoners and champions alike cried out in alarm, startled by the sudden display of violence.

Helios's hands burst into flames, his footsteps leaving behind melted puddles of slag as he advanced. His expression displayed nothing but unparalleled rage, manifesting in the heat that scorched the ground and singed the air.

Tahm Kench groaned as he tediously picked himself up, his coat and hat shredded from the impact of the collision. He'd left a gigantic crater in the wall and floor from his momentum and weight respectively, and a trickle of grey-green blood was already running down his forehead. He realized that Helios was still coming, and instantly panicked.

"Lord Helios…" He stammered, "I do so deeply regret all of those things I did to incur your ire...I promise I will never do it again…"

The children either covered their eyes or stared in horror at what was happening. Krista's grip on Artemis' arm went slack as she dropped her spear.

" _Don't_ you bullshit _me!_ " Helios drew his arm back and threw a left hook straight across the demon's face. The blow was powerful enough to send a _shockwave_ rippling through the air, staggering everyone else present.

He grabbed Tahm Kench by the collar of his coat. "We _both_ know that you'll do it again." He hefted him up, then swung him overhead and face-first into the floor, cracking the marble.

"And again." Helios latched onto Kench's leg, then whirled him around and threw him into a table. It snapped in two, splinters digging into the catfish's skin. It hardly hurt the River King however, due to the unnatural thickness of the membrane.

The River Demon's eyes flickered as his Chosen came into control, trying to get up.

"I know he deserves this but…" Agus started only to fall silent as he figured his words would fall on deaf ears.

It was, after all, one of the hazards of being the Chosen of a Champion few liked. He could now sympathize with Caleb.

"And _again._ " Helios stomped down on Tahm's head, forcing it into the floor. "You just _can't get enough,_ can you? Oh, sure, you'll _pretend_ to turn over a new leaf, but the _second_ you think I'm not looking, you'll go right back to eating people."

"And that's the thing that pisses me off." He remarked, lifting him up by the scruff of his coat. "You're nothing but a liar and a cheat, Kench. You don't do anything _useful,_ gods no. You just eat whatever you're entitled to eat. But it never _mattered,_ did it? Oh, _no,_ so long as you get to eat, you wouldn't care if your appetite ended the whole damn _world,_ would you?"

"So here's a sample of all the pain you've ever inflicted over the years." He snarled. "You'll find that it's a bit of an acquired taste."

Helios connected an uppercut with the river demon's mouth, knocking out a tooth. Then his form blurred, and he was to Tahm Kench's left, delivering a series of sharp jabs to his side. He moved again, this time striking at the back of his head.

He changed his position again and again and again, moving faster and faster each time. Eventually it was almost impossible to see him, nothing short of a blur as he delivered blow after blow after blow.

"Holy…" Krista whispered, "and I thought _you_ were bad when it came to getting even, Kalista…"

"It's almost like watching Mama beat up Kayn when he killed me in my first match…" Vesper whimpered, backing up.

The twins hid behind Krista while the Summoners and other Champions just stared, frozen in shock and terror.

Except for one person.

"STOP!"

Artemis broke free of Krista's grip and stumbled forwards, tears streaming as she watched Helios beat the tar out of the River King.

"STOP IT!" She screeched, "MISTER HELIOS! PLEASE! STOP HITTING HIM! YOU'RE BEING A BULLY!"

But Helios didn't hear her. He'd waited _far_ too long for this moment.

He stopped moving, finally moving at a more typical pace. He had, at one point, grabbed Tahm's own _tongue_ and tightly wrapped it around his neck, and was now attempting to strangle him with it.

"Oh, quit _whining._ " Helios said. "I know for a _fact_ that you can take more than this."

A flash of blue-green light lanced past the two, embedding a spear of cold fire in the wall next to Agus' head.

"Artemis is right," Krista growled as Black Mist started cooking around her feet, "That's _enough_. I don't care if Tahm deserves it. You're hurting an innocent Chosen. Agus didn't do anything,"

Artemis came up to Helios and grabbed at his armor, yanking and trying to get him away.

"We don't wanna make those guys mad!" She protested, "Don't you wanna help Mama? We need them to help us and hitting him isn't gonna make them like us!"

Helios looked down at the catfish, who was barely conscious, hands sluggishly groping at his tongue. His scowl didn't leave.

"One million. Eight hundred seventy-nine thousand. Nine hundred fifty-three." He said. "Do you know what that number means?"

Artemis shook her head and Krista's hand lowered, the spear in the wall fading.

"The number of lives," Krista said, "the souls crying out for Vengeance to come for him but we weren't able to...we can't touch Champions,"

"All those innocents." Helios continued. "All those lives gone, and only because he felt like he needed a _snack._ "

His grip tightened on Tahm's tongue.

"After everything he's done, after _every single life_ that he's ever ruined, he gets a _free pass?!_ " He said. "The Institute of War provides _justice,_ right?"

His hands started to smolder. Tahm Kench visibly cringed at the feeling.

"I should just kill him right here, _right now_." He growled. "And the only reason that I _haven't…_ "

He tensed up, breathed in...then sighed.

"Is because he's bonded to a man who's done nothing wrong."

He let go of the demon's tongue, allowing him to fall to the ground. The air temperature lowered, returning to normal as the celestial deity's rage dissipated.

"Sorry, Agus." He said. "You didn't deserve that. I should've considered your involvement first."

"I know...how Caleb feels now…" came the Chosen's raspy reply, "I didn't… _ask_ to be his Chosen...he threatened to eat me,"

"I know. I was there." Helios said, chuckling awkwardly. "Being bonded to a malevolent entity can't be all that fun, can it?"

"Only good thing...I get where I need to be…pretty dang fast…"

"Well. There's that, I guess." Helios replied.

"But don't think that I'm letting you off the hook, Kench." He told the River King. "I'll be watching _very_ closely from now on. You're going to spend the rest of your life eating like a normal person, and I don't really care how much you eat. But if I see you take a _nibble_ at someone's leg…" Helios swiftly drew a line across the space in front of his neck.

"Get the picture?"

"He hasn't since he Chose me," Agus stated, "I made _sure_ of that. My cooking, Cira's cooking, Panth's cooking, and Nick's cooking help put a dent in that desire,"

His eyes narrowed. "Fine." He said. "You survive, Kench. For now."

"Who is this?" one of the Summoners demanded, "Who are you that you can just barge in here and beat up one of our Champions?"

"Whoever he is," Tryndamere's Chosen, Matthew Hodges, growled, "I don't think you'd be able to stop him if he tried it again, Summoner,"

"That outdid your own temper," Ashe's Chosen, Amelia Hodges, agreed.

The Summoner started sputtering indignantly.

"But that still doesn't condone what he did!"

Vesper, Apolla and Ares came out from behind Krista, who hadn't moved from her position. Artemis however had let go of Helios, but the fire in her eyes was as fierce as ever. No fear.

"On the contrary, Summoner." Helios replied. "I'm only taking responsibility for Tahm's behavior." He cast one last sneer at the demon before walking towards the door. "And really? You can't figure out who I am?" He asked, turning around to walk backwards. "Flames, light, golden armor, really? Ask Cira and Leona if you want, I've got places to be."

He snapped his fingers and transitioned to pointing them at Amelia. "Also, Ashe, Amelia: nice job sticking it to Lissandra. I'm rooting for you."

He moved to turn around, then realized he'd forgotten something.

"Ah, Artemis?" He asked. "Would you...maybe come with me?" He looked over the rest of the present Summoners and champions. " _Alone?_ I need to talk with you in private."

She gave a short nod and walked towards him, anger still in her eyes, though they still streamed with tears.

They walked out the door, and Helios steered the girl down the hallways and into a small corner tucked away where no one would see them.

Helios sighed. He squatted down, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry that you had to see that." He said. "I'm...not a very pleasant person when I get angry."

"It's just…" He trailed off. "It's my job to look after Runeterra. I should be taking care of everyone as best as I can. So when people like Tahm Kench start popping up…" He shrugged with a grimace. "Well, I can't interfere, so that builds up a lot of resentment."

His mouth curled into a bitter smile. "I'm probably just trying to give an excuse for what I did, aren't I?" His smile became a bit warmer, as he reached up to ruffle Artemis's hair. "I've gotta say, kiddo - you've got some nerve, making demands of me like that." It widened into a grin. "Just like your mom. That's a pretty good quality to have."

"...It's ok to be mad," she mumbled, "I get mad too and I...kinda break things because I'm strong...but we gotta be good and not break things now. Because they won't help us if we do,"

She broke.

"I just want to save Mama and Daddy...I want to stay with them…" she sobbed, swiping at her eyes as her form sputtered and glitched, the projector failing, "I don't want Mama to be angry at Aunt Di-Di, I want to play with Zoe, and Vasher, and Torin...I'm bein' brave for Apolla and Ares like Mama told me...I...I…"

Her words dissolved into heartbreaking sobs as she fell to her knees.

"I just want to be _home_ ," she finally wailed.

"Hey, hey." Helios drew her into his arms, smothering her in a hug and falling back on his rear. "It'll be okay." He gently shushed her as she cried, placing his chin on her head as he rocked back and forth. "Everything will be fine. We'll get through this."

Helios was aware that her projector had failed, but now wasn't the time to tell her. Now was the time for comfort. He held her there, muttering reassurances as the projector gradually rebooted.

"Feel better?" He asked, once she'd finally quieted down.

"Mhmm…" she sniffed, wiping her eyes on her sleeve, "You not gonna hit people any more?"

"Well…not when it's an inappropriate time." He replied. "It wouldn't surprise me if someone needs hitting in the near future." He smiled. "But regardless, no. I won't be hitting anybody else today."

"Once Mama, Daddy, Aunt Di-Di and Zoe get fixed...you can go," Artemis compromised, "But we want to get them back...and we wanna keep these people happy and like us,"

"Go? Why would I want to _go?_ " Helios asked, quirking an eyebrow with a smirk. "I plan to stick around for a while, kiddo."

"Not go as leave but…" she seemed to search for the word, "get even I think is right?"

"That's the one." Helios confirmed. He hummed, considering something. "Still. I'm gonna need something to do while I wait."

He thought for a while.

Then, a lightbulb went off in his head.

"Say, Artemis, can you go fetch your siblings for me?" He asked.

"Why?" She asked.

He slowly grinned, a sinister gleam in his eyes.

"Your mom might want you all to grow up to become law-abiding citizens," He said; "but I think it's about time that Uncle Helios teach you how to have some _real_ fun."

 **Well...this will end well.**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)  
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)**

 **Pantheon-Arthur Jonson**

 **Jarvan- Zack Turner**

 **Garen-Kaiden Darkhound**

 **Lux-Amelia Pond**

 **Lucian- Jonathan Cross Jr. (Senna-Sienna Cross)**

 **Quinn- Seluna Russignol (Armstrong)**

 **Vayne- Valencia Storm**

 **Fiora- Victoria Meraux**

 **Galio- Stan Jackson**

 **Shyvana- Sonja Chadayev**

 **Xhin Zhao- Lex Fuller**

 **Taric- Ruben Synne**

 **Kayle-Ryo Kaida**

 **Zoe- Vesper Jonson**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye (Diamond)**

 **Aurelion Sol- Hailey Cannon**

 **Tahm Kench-Agus Bukalow**

 **Tryndamere-Matthew Hodges**

 **Ashe-Amelia Whitworth (Hodges)**

 **Kalista-Krista Rhon**

 **Sion- Nick Diamond *mentioned***

 ** _Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)_**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 **Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)**

 **Leona-Janie Noble**

 _ **...And then there are**_ ** _Helios and Selene._**

 **Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!**

 **Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

 **Máriessë ar mára tecië**

 **Farewell and fair writing**

 **Elhini Prime signing off.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Biggest chapter yet, I think. Sorry this took so long, finals for me so I've been insanely busy. I've just got out for my semester so I'll have 'time' (provided I'm not working) to write more. Here we see what Helios has been plotting with the kids...but it's up to you guys to decide if it's a good thing or a bad thing!**

Chapter IV

 _"_ Why _are we still here when we should be back on Targon planning…"_ Leona's voice huffed.

"Because you're a jerk and we're going to fix that," Cira growled back.

 _"There is nothing wrong with me. You just have outdated and unreasonable ways of thinking,"_

"You know...I missed when you were quiet," Cira snapped, "Now I can't get you to shut up and will you _please_ stop trying to take control away!"

 _"This is_ my _body, not yours! Get out!"_

"That'll kill us both,"

"Is she giving you trouble?" Andrew asked, frowning as Cira tapped her fingers on the arms of her chair.

"Unfortunately," Cira sighed, "She's been like this for a few months now…"

Andrew's face fell.

"...Cira, I'm so sorry, I failed you, I failed your family…" he apologized, "I couldn't stop this,"

"It's not your fault," she told him, "It's whoever did this to us' fault. I don't blame you, Andrew,"

He gave a slight smile as Arthur came to her side and put his arms around her. Cira leaned her head on him, smiling happily as she was finally able to be with her husband. After a few moments of reprieve, the scrying glass flashed, catching Andrew's gaze.

The Summoner looked at the assembled group.

"They're ready for us," he said.

"Already?" Mir blinked.

"But Helios and the kids aren't back yet…" Arthur protested.

"If we don't go now, we'll _never_ get to talk to them," Andrew told them, "We have to go,"

Cira's shoulders sagged slightly.

"I don't want her to be like this anymore...let's go," she said.

"Agreed." Selene said. "Helios and the others will probably meet us there anyways."

While this was how she outwardly expressed herself, inside she couldn't help but feel nervous. When Helios was gone for a _minute_ longer than absolutely necessary, he was up to something. And the way he'd been eyeing Cira's children was the way he observed a potential opportunity for mischief. That _never_ turned out well, in her opinion. His opinion was that it paid off rather handsomely.

 _Brother, please._ She silently prayed. _Whatever you're about to do, don't get in over your head. The tribunal has to take priority._

Oh, who was she kidding?

* * *

"...I've never been to this part of the Institute before…" Cira started slowly as they walked through a pair of rather large golden doors etched with images that _moved_ , telling the history of the League itself and in some cases, Runeterra.

"You haven't," Andrew agreed, "But Leona has. I Judged her here."

"So _this_ is the famous Judgement Room," Arthur hummed, "Wonder what Diana and Panth's judgement was,"

"They'd probably tell you," Andrew said, "In all honesty, Pantheon is the only one out of you that I don't know. Mainly because I didn't start as Judge until Leona came,"

They walked into the room, the tall ceiling so high that Stan might have been able to almost stand up straight...wings included. But again, that might have been due to magic making it look tall. Torches blazed around the circular room as sapphire and ruby crystal mosaics depicting Summoners Rift sprawled across the floor. The Protectorate and the Magelord stag and owl galloped and winged their way across the room in motifs, all under a field of stars in which the constellations resembled the emblems of the nations united by the League. It was spectacular really.

Despite its name, the Tribunal was not just three people. It was twelve. One for each nation of the League. Each representative sat on a throne bedecked to represent its region. Demacia's was of white marble edged in silver and azure. Noxus was of black granite edged in crimson and iron. Targon's was carved seemingly out of the floor itself, set with gemstones and engraved with suns, moons and stars.

"High Summoner Andrew Daybreaker Summers," the one on the icy Freljord seat started, her ice-grey eyes watching her fellow Freljordian closely, "why do you seek a meeting with the Tribunal?"

"I sought an audience because of the Curse laid down on Mount Targon, her Champions... _and_ myself," Andrew started.

"A Curse on a Summoner?" The man sitting on the driftwood and shell throne of Bilgewater demanded, "Andrew you cannot be serious,"

"That just doesn't happen," the augmented woman sitting on the iron and glass Zaun seat snorted, her green eyes narrowed, "Someone has just been upset that his _favorite_ was changed,"

"I'm sorry, _he_ is _upset_?" Cira sputtered, speaking up, "My apologies for being brash here but that is a load of _bullcrap_!"

"And you would be…?" The Noxian representative asked.

"I am Leona's Chosen," Cira growled, "You know, just the one who is stuck in this body with a crazed religious tyrant...who _used_ to have the strongest bond on record with their Champion,"

"I've known her for years...I've yet to see her act like that in this serious of a situation," Arthur muttered, looking at Selene, "Does that look familiar to you?"

"Quite." Selene replied, with a dry smile. "My brother didn't choose lightly when he selected Leona as his chosen representative. He was delighted when Cira bonded to her as well. The three of them bear some differences, but are more similar than not."

"Do you _realize_ how this feels?" Cira continued, stepping forwards, glow surging brightly, "When your best friend suddenly changes personality. When they _lock you away_ and call you nothing but a _stupid irritating voice_? This is the first time I've actually been able to speak for myself in a long, _long_ time! I had to send three of my beautiful children away...just so that I wouldn't hurt them. Do none of you have a _heart_?"

She tapped her chest, eyes filling with golden light before dimming back to blue.

"I am in physical _pain_ because I have to fight her down. I am afraid of what she will _do_ if I let her out," she hissed, "I don't want to let her declare war on Demacia. I don't want to fight Chosens that I _trained_. I don't want to _kill anyone_. But with her the way she is _now_? I'm _forced_ to! And you...all twelve of you...don't give two cents about what we feel. Otherwise, you would have stopped this from going through,"

"Someone's mad…" Mir muttered, coming forwards slightly.

Cira saw her out of the corner of her eye, but in her anger, her tight control slipped and her vision blurred as her eyes went from blue to gold. Leona's sword flickered out and she immediately charged Mir.

Mir yelped and dashed away from the angry Solari.

"Come back here and fight Heretic!" Leona snarled, starting towards Mir, only to get tackled by Arthur.

"Ci, c'mon, fight her, you _have_ to," he hissed, before getting thrown off.

 _WHAM!_

Leona was suddenly flung against the wall, hard enough to leave cracks in the surface. A dark silhouette blurred in front of her, holding the Solari matron to the wall by her neck.

"Just because my brother is absent doesn't mean that you should underestimate me, Leona." Selene warned. "I may not be as strong as Helios, but I am _more_ than enough to handle you."

"So behave." She said. "Or I'll crush you like a gnat."

The golden eyes burned in hatred before flickering to blue.

"S-Selene...let...go…" Cira rasped, grabbing at her hand, "I got her...I think…"

"Of course. Apologies, Cira." She replied, gently letting her down. "I may have been a bit rougher than I intended."

"She needed it," Cira grumbled before glaring at the Tribunal, "See? Look at what you let happen! Not me, not Helios or Selene, not Andrew. _You_. You let this happen to Champions and Chosens you swore to protect,"

"Helios and Selene?" the Ionian representative asked, her dark eyes gentle yet stern, "I suppose this lady here is Selene then?"

"I am." Selene confirmed, summoning her scythe and tapping it against the ground. "Though I believe you know me as the moon more than anything else."

"Then where is Helios...or if it is safe to guess...the Sun," the Targon representative asked, his grey eyes as unyielding as the Mountain itself.

Right on cue, the door opened. In walked Helios, Artemis, Ares, Vesper and Apolla, who were all snickering.

"Sorry we're late." Helios said, trying to stop chuckling. "We just got a bit caught up is all."

Cira's eyes narrowed slightly.

"What did you five do…" she asked warily as Artemis darted to her side and almost begged to be picked up.

Cira obliged her, giving her a kiss on her scarlet head.

"What? We were just taking a tour of the Institute." Helios replied, with a grin that was not at all convincing. "Gotta see the sights, you know?"

"Why do I find it hard to believe that…" she sighed, "Doesn't matter...you're here now...maybe you could help them get it through their thick skulls to help us,"

"Hm." His eyes narrowed at the Tribunal. "Is that so?"

He walked past her to stand before the twelve, standing at full height while folding his arms behind his back.

"So." He said. "You're the people running the place, huh?"

"We are," the Demacian representative said.

"I've gotta say, I'm kind of disappointed." Helios replied. "If you're who's calling the shots, then I have good reason to be pissed at you for not doing your job."

"You are in _our_ territory and jurisdiction, Helios," the Shadow Isles representative hissed, "Watch yourself. We may decide not to help you and we will have every right not to. We have heard of your _antics_ earlier today…"

Helios chuckled. "Funny that you should mention the matter of territory."

He tapped his foot against the ground. "What you're sitting on? That's Runeterra. A planet _I_ created. A planet _I_ hold jurisdiction over. You think I'm in _your_ court?" He shook his head, snorting. " _Oh no._ You're in _mine._ I only let you live here because I'm nice like that."

"So don't presume to talk to me as if you're somehow _above_ me." Helios said. "From where I'm standing, I've got the home field advantage."

Silence from the Tribunal. The Targon representative got up, stepping down from the seat and standing in front of Helios.

"Our people," he started, looking to Cira, Arthur, Vesper and Mir, "Have always looked to the stars. There was nothing else we could look up to. If it's within my power, I'll help you. I don't know if we can completely break that Curse...but maybe we can get it so it's not as devastating to Targon's Champions,"

Helios smiled appraisingly. "Well. At least _somebody_ here knows how to show some respect." He snapped his fingers. Light began to coalesce next to where he stood, forming and hardening into the shape of a throne similar to those of the Tribunal. This one was Targonian in design, but a fiery gold color, with flames licking off the arms and backrest. He sat himself down, crossing one leg over the other.

"Now. Let's start over from the beginning, shall we?" He asked. "I'm sorry, I'm just very curious as to why you'd let a war between Targon and Demacia escalate. If I recall correctly, you're supposed to _prevent_ war, no?"

"That is correct," the Targon Representative nodded, "But _some_ of us want to watch the world burn and voted against stopping it,"

Multiple glares at multiple people.

"We are not allowed to act unless more than nine of us vote for action," he finished, "There were many of us who said to act, but many who said no,"

"Waitwaitwait, let me guess." Helios said, spreading his arms in front of him. "Noxus was one of them." He pointed to the Noxian representative.

The Ionian representative gave a loud laugh, something surprising for someone of her small stature.

"That is true," the Freljordian representative nodded, "They are still sore that three hundred Rakkor and Solari soldiers defeated their army without losing a man,"

"Shouldn't have come on our Mountain," Arthur smirked, "It's their own fault,"

"Doesn't surprise me, frankly." Helios frowned at the Noxian representative. "I've had a problem with Noxus for a while."

"They've gotten somewhat better with the marriage between Lady Du Couteau and Lord Crownguard," the Demacian representative chuckled, "But we still have our differences,"

"Clearly." He said. "Mainly between leadership, I've found." He sent a beady-eyed glare at the Noxian representative. "Your _Grand General_ has a rap sheet a mile wide, and it'd take me a week to list _half_ of the things he's done to get on my bad side. I suggest you convey that to Swain the next time you see him."

"Perhaps you will see him before I," the Noxian representative huffed.

"Helios be nice to people…" Artemis warned, "You promised!"

He sighed. "Fine, I'll cut 'em some slack." He adjusted himself in his chair. "I get why Demacia and Noxus voted no, but I'm still mystified about the others. I can't imagine that Azir was too happy about the vote."

"He was not," the Shuriman representative agreed, "But Targonian Raiders have been coming into Shurima and I had to think of our people,"

Helios hummed. "I've been aware of that, so I guess that's understandable."

"And you?" He asked the Shadow Isles representative. "What's _your_ excuse?"

"There really is none," he shrugged, "Demacia And Targon's squabbles have no effect on me. All it does is serve to give more power to the Mist,"

"He is one of those who just wants to watch the world burn," the Bandle City representative huffed, her voice high and clear like most Yordles, "He normally votes no on situations like this anyways,"

The floor around Helios's chair smoldered and cracked.

"Should've just kept your mouth shut." Helios said, miniature infernos spiraling in his eyes.

"We weren't expecting more than him and Noland voting no," the Targon representative stated, "because it normally is just him,"

"Mh. Is that so?" He asked. "You cheeky bastards saw an opportunity, did you?"

"Apparently," The Freljord Representative deadpanned.

"Andrew she acts like you," Cira whispered to the Summoner.

"...There's a reason for that," he muttered.

"I don't think I even _want_ to hear what _you_ have to say." Helios told the Icathian representative. "I doubt that I'd be pleased with the answer."

"Perhaps that is wise," he said.

Helios's mouth drew into a thin line.

"Well. In that case." He swept his gaze over the members of the Tribunal, inspecting each of them. In some ways it felt like more of an interrogation.

"If I'm understanding this correctly, instead of _doing your damn job_ and encouraging peace, some of you thought that it'd be a smart idea to do nothing, because you saw something to be gained." He said. "Some of you, in your _awe-inspiring wisdom,_ found that it would be in your best interests to allow two of the most heavily-armed nations in Runeterra go to war for the sake of your own selfish interests."

"Now, I don't know if you know this," Helios casually inspected a fingernail; "but potentially upsetting the natural order and plunging the world into a new Rune War is considered an _extremely_ serious crime amongst the gods. It's probably one of the worst things you could ever do, really. And believe me when I say that you don't want to know what the punishment is."

Silence. So thick you could have cut it with a knife, fell over the Tribunal. The first Rune War had been devastating enough, a second...none of them wanted to think of that possibility.

"So, what am I to do?" He asked. "What am I to do when some of you, while being members of the Tribunal, are criminals at the same time? Forgive you?"

He chuckled darkly. " _Oh,_ nonononono, I don't think so. You'd have to make it worth my while."

The Freljord representative got up, albeit with some effort, grabbed her staff leaning next to her throne and came towards the group.

"Leona...Cira," she corrected, "Please come here. I'm afraid these old bones don't move as well as they used to,"

The Radiant Dawn gave a warm smile and did as told. The Tribunal member gently put her hands on the younger woman's face, frowning as she did.

"There is a lot of darkness here...something that should not be for a Champion dealing with light," she stated, turning to her fellows, "I can't attempt to cleanse this myself...it's rooted too deep. All eleven of you need to help me,"

She shot all of them a glare as a few refused to budge.

"You would do well to listen to your elders," she scolded, "Don't make me come up there and use my staff,"

The stragglers immediately got up and followed the rest of them.

"Arthur, Vesper, Mir, would you please join your fellow?" the Ionian representative asked.

They did so. The Tribunal turned their attention to their eldest member and the Chosen she was currently attending to.

"You're right, Aneria," the Demacian representative hummed, "Whatever it is...that's far too much dark for someone like her."

The Freljord representative nodded before turning her attention back to Cira.

"For all the sins we have inflicted on you all, perhaps this will make up for at least some of them," she apologized, "I don't know if we can permanently lift this Curse...but at least break it's hold on your Champion for a little while,"

She turned to Helios and Selene.

"Will that at least ease on our debt?" she asked.

"You have none to pay, Aneria." Helios replied. "Your intentions were good. I hold no animosity towards you." He sighed. "But yes, for those of you who I consider to owe me, it'll do for now."

She gave a sad smile before turning her attention back to the Cursed Dawn.

"I do not know if this will hurt or be painless," she told her, "This is something none of us have done before,"

"I've...no, _we've_ been through worse," Cira said, giving a firm nod, "I don't care how much I have to endure. I want my Champion back,"

"Very well," came the reply, "Hold still, please,"

Cira's eye flickered gold as Leona attempted to pull away in fear, but Cira kept a firm hold on her body and forced her to stay still.

A low thrumming sound came weaving around the room, the Tribunal speaking words in languages only they knew, dialects lost to time. Pure white light flared, banishing the shadows. A metallic screech of pain roared over the Tribunal members, as did a woman's cry, a man's bellow and a child's wail. The light, as if a physical force, blew open the doors and flooded throughout the Institute, throughout the region, throughout the continent of Valoran as the Tribunal strove to break the Curse over it.

When the light died, Cira fell to her knees with a loud clang as her armor hit the floor. Silence reigned in the room other than the heavy gasping by the four Targon Champions.

Artemis slowly toddled up to her mother, putting a hand on her mother's shoulder.

"...Mama?" she asked softly.

A warm metal servo reached up to hold the child's hand and the Radiant Dawn raised her head...her golden eyes filled with tears as she suddenly enfolded the child in a tight embrace.

"Oh _Artemis_ …" Leona wept, "I missed you...oh so much…"

"Yep. That's her." Helios grinned. "It's about damn time."

Artemis smiled as she nuzzled into her mother's chest and Leona was content...until she was embraced from behind and given a long kiss by Pantheon who had gotten to his feet and raced to her side. Zoe joined in, laughing happily as her parents enfolded her in an embrace and the twins ran up to join them. The family happily enjoyed each other's company...until Leona looked up to see Diana slowly coming towards them.

The Radiant Dawn got to her feet...before rushing her sister and embracing her, sobbing.

"I'm so sorry!" she cried, "I couldn't...I...I…"

Diana shushed her, hugging her back.

"I'm just glad you're back, sister," she smiled, tears streaming herself, "Dear Moon you have no idea how much I missed you and everyone…"

"Ah, family reunions." Helios sighed blissfully. "They might be disgusting, but I'll be damned if they aren't heartwarming."

Selene blinked. "That's...somewhat of a contradictory statement, no?"

Helios shrugged. "I dunno. My brain's weird like that."

Upon hearing Helios' voice, Leona's face paled. She let go of Diana and looked at him, dejection and shame painting over her face as she slowly walked up to him. She set down her shield and sword before him and got on one knee.

"Take it," she whispered, "Take everything back that you gave me. I failed you, I disgraced you, I disgraced the Solari, I disgraced my Chosen...and I disgraced myself. I'm not worthy of being your champion. You would do well to find someone other than this failure to carry your name,"

Helios frowned for a moment, then stood.

"Rise." He said.

She closed her eyes in acceptance as she stood, refusing to meet his gaze as she feared what she would see.

"Look at me." He said.

She did so.

"I don't hold you accountable for anything that you did, Leona." He said, placing both hands on her shoulders. "What happened wasn't your fault. I know you. If you had the choice, you never would've done those things. You were more of a victim than anyone else."

"Besides." He smiled. "Now we can make things right. And kick some ass while we're at it. So chin up, okay? I forgive you. Honestly, there was nothing to forgive in the first place."

She bowed her head gratefully...before her smile fell again.

"...What about you?" she asked softly, seemingly to no one.

It took a few seconds, but the whisper soft reply did come.

 _"Leona...you have no_ idea _how happy I am to hear you,"_ Cira told her, _"Of course I forgive you. You're my Champion. I'm only angry at the ones that did this to us. But you're back. I have my Champion back, I have my family back...I'm happy,"_

She gave a content smile as her heart lifted.

"I don't want to be the bearer of bad news," the Targon representative stated, "But I'm afraid this isn't permanent. We broke the Runeterran side of it...but this stemmed from Earth as well,"

"...A place we cannot reach," Pantheon growled.

"Not since the barrier trapped our Chosens here," Diana agreed.

'...That means we'll go back...doesn't it?" Leona asked, voice trembling as she held her children.

"I don't want to go back to forgetting Mama and Daddy," Zoe cried, "I don't want to hate them again!"

"Then we'll have to find a more permanent solution further down the road." Helios turned to Aneria. "I have resources. And connections. If I gave you both, would you be able to do that?"

"We would try,"

"That'll have to do." Helios replied. "In the meantime, I suggest that we all have some f-"

He stopped.

His eyes narrowed.

He sighed. To everyone's confusion, he walked over to a random corner of the room, then stood there for a moment.

"You know, you're _really_ bad at hiding." He said, to apparently no one in particular.

His hand snapped out, closing around a space of air in front of him.

There was a yelp as Evelynn, or Sable came into full view, her lashers dangling behind her. A small girl came to view next to her as well, looking worriedly at the succubus. "Mama? Why's he grabbing you? I thought we were being sneaky?"

The woman looked at the girl, then Helios and just sputtered, motioning for the girl to leave with a lasher. She quickly disappeared and reappeared behind Leona a few seconds later.

"Well, well, well." Helios snarled. "If it isn't everyone's favorite serial _thot._ "

The woman said nothing, simply staring at him with wide eyes, then glancing towards her daughter. When she looked at Helios again, one eye was pink, the other brown.

Helios glanced at Umbra, then at Artemis, and back to Evelynn again.

"Hm. That's right, you have a daughter now, don't you?" He asked. "I must admit, I never expected you of all people to go that route."

Slowly, he slackened his grip, until Evelynn finally dropped to the floor, gasping for breath.

"You're off the hook for now." He said. "Don't waste the chance I'm giving you."

"Sable...has been good for Evelynn," Leona said, "She's been on a good streak lately,"

"If you have scores to settle, settle them on the Rift where we can bring the Champion back," the Bilgewater Representative chuckled, "But Leona is right...Evelynn has not torn apart anyone for a great while now,"

The chosen sputter and coughed, but moved over to Umbra. She whispered something in the girl's ear and the two disappeared.

Helios watched them leave with suspicion. Those two would be trouble in the future, he was sure of it. And not the good kind. Then again, maybe he was being paranoid. "If you say so."

"So! What should we do now that the gang's back together?" He asked. "If we've only got a limited amount of time before the Curse comes back, we should try and make the most of it."

"Agreed," Leona nodded, leaning on Pantheon's shoulder.

"If I may be so bold," Aneria started, looking at the reunited couple, "Perhaps it would be a good idea for you both to spend some private time alone,"

Leona looked up at her husband, her golden eyes...happy...for once.

"I love that idea," she smiled.

"And I know just the place," Pantheon smiled, kissing her forehead.

"Ewwwww!" the siblings all chorused while Zoe about died laughing.

"Oh hush you three," their mother teased, "We'll spend some time with you all soon enough,"

"Speaking of spending time with family…" Aneria growled, shooting an icy glare at Andrew, "Young man I am going to have _words_ with you!"

Andrew literally cowered, something that completely shocked Leona.

"You never come to see me anymore!" she huffed, "No talking to your grandmother, no visiting, and after all I'm trying to give you this title of mine…"

Andrew looked up meekly.

"In my defense I have been busy," he mumbled, "And cursed on top of that…"

The woman's eyes narrowed.

"And about that," she turned to Helios, "When you find who did this to my favorite grandson, I want to _personally_ beat them within an inch of their lives,"

His eyes lit up. "You're my kind of grandma. I'd be _thrilled_ to help you out with that. I'll even join in."

"Grandmother…" Andrew grumbled, getting an amused chuckle from Leona, "Oh don't you start…"

"Oh I just think it's funny," Leona grinned, "That you're so calm and collected around everyone else, Cho'Gath, Nocturne, Brand...and yet you cower before your grandmother,"

Andrew shot her a glare while Aneria laughed.

"Andrew, I see why she is your favorite!" she beamed, "She's becoming my favorite too,"

She turned towards Leona and Pantheon, who were currently holding their children.

"Go and spend time with your loved ones. The curse is temporarily lifted, though it is still rolling around the edges of Runeterra. For how long it will last...who knows,"

"Thank you, Lady Aneria," Pantheon stated, bowing his head in respect before lifting his now blue eyes and Arthur spoke, "From all of us,"

"I guess it's time to start having some fun, then." Helios said. He made a sweeping gesture towards the door. "Shall we, everyone?"

He and the kids shared a knowing grin.

"...We're about to see what you five were up to aren't we…" Cira deadpanned, getting giggles from her children.

They all walked out the door.

Cira's jaw dropped.

Selene facepalmed.

Helios and the kids cackled diabolically.

The entire Institute of War had been given a multicolored spectrum of colors for a new paint job, which clashed so thoroughly it was almost blinding. Rainbow, tye-dye, hot pink, and every color of insanity imaginable all warred against one another, against amazingly detailed depiction of various animals and objects. The color scheme shifted with each illustration, ranging from horses to lions to dogs, along with an assortment of various baby animals (Vesper and Zoe's preference, no doubt). There was even a mural of Aurelion Sol, depicted in a flattering, albeit cartoonish matter. Smaller scribbles and paintings of Cira and Arthur could also be seen, along with the rest of their family.

"...I don't know if I should be mad or impressed…" Cira blinked.

Her eyes flashed gold and she closed one of them, crossing her arms and tapping her foot.

"Zoe Eos, Artemis Athena, Apolla Helia, Ares Leonidas... _What_ have I told you four about drawing on the walls!" Leona scolded.

"To not to…" the siblings muttered together.

"But look, Mama! We drew you, Daddy, Aunt Di-Di...even 'lion!" Ares chirped.

"Well...they certainly got Aurelion's big head right…" Pantheon chuckled.

"Pantheon!" Leona chastised.

"What! It's true!" Arthur protested.

"Even drew Mister Helios and Miss Selene!" Apolla chirped.

"...Why is Helios' head so big?" Diana snickered, "Bigger than Aurelion's!"

"Because big heads are _fabulous._ " Helios turned his head up, sniffing. "How dare you imply otherwise."

"Dunno...Selene doesn't seem to have one," Mir pointed out.

"That one mine!" Apolla beamed, her silver glow burning, "Artemis tried to make Mister Helios…"

"Couldn't get his head right…" the older child admitted, scuffing her foot, "Apolla is better than me at drawing,"

"Well, it was a good first start." Helios said, proudly putting a hand on both of their shoulders. "We'll move up to the more complicated stuff later."

"I think Apolla is wanting to know what you think, Lady Selene," Leona whispered softly as the little girl giggled, looking up at the adults with big, hopeful eyes.

She shook her head, flabbergasted. "I have...very mixed feelings about this, but otherwise I'm impressed." She tousled Apolla's hair fondly. "Well done."

Apolla gave a blinding smile as she squealed in joy, skipping around in the most adorable fashion. Leona shook her head, turning to face Andrew, who was currently pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You realize how long it is going to take you to clean this up?" He asked, looking at Helios.

"Clean it up?" Helios grinned. "Now why would I do _that?_ "

"Because you wouldn't want to make these four clean it up, would you?" Andrew stated, "besides, if it is left...it'll just encourage some of the _other_ Champion Children to do it more...which could be catastrophic as there are _some_ Champions I _do not want_ near any children,"

"What makes you think that _any_ of us are cleaning it up?" His grin grew wider. "And what's wrong with getting more minions? The more the merrier, I say!"

"Oh you bet these four are cleaning up their mess," Cira started, "I've taught them better than that…"

"And it is dangerous for children to be out here alone," Andrew said, "that's why we have a 'daycare' for them. It's for their safety. Like I said...there are a few Champions that no one would allow near children. I bet Cira can rattle one off right now,"

The First Chosen's face went dark as rage flickered over it.

"He's not touching or coming within view of my kids," She bristled.

"Oh re- _lax,_ it'll be _fine!_ " Helios assured them. "Uncle Helios is on the job!"

"Also: I can one-hundred percent assure you that nobody's cleaning this up, because we just finished it." He said.

" _VESPER! ZOE! ESCAPE PLAN OMEGA!_ " He shouted.

Portals opened beneath his feet, along with the other kids'. They fell in, and the portals closed shut behind them.

Everyone stared at the space where they'd been, stunned.

Selene sighed. "And so it begins."

"You know...this was _not_ how I wanted to spend the first day of me having my sanity back…" Leona sighed, "but I suppose reminding the kids _who_ is Mom will have to be a good start,"

Selene snorted. "Good luck with that. Once Helios's schemes get involved, all concepts of obeying authority go out the window. Did he ever tell you about the fidget spinner black market?"

"...Dear god not those things…" Cira groaned, "I had to confiscate _so_ many of those when I was teaching…"

"That wouldn't have stopped him, if he'd been around at the time." Selene replied. "He started an underground operation in Piltover under a fake alias, and managed to rope some of the other gods into it too. By the time the government found out and shut down the whole thing, he'd made the equivalent of the entire city-state's budget for six years."

"...oh this will be an interesting time then…" Cira sighed, "I need to go find my kids...they're probably at the daycare. Maybe some of us should go find _him_ and make sure he stays out of trouble,"

Selene sighed. "Frankly, I doubt that's possible.

* * *

In hindsight, Helios should've been anticipating things getting weird when he jumped into the portal. Zoe's whole shebang was being random, and her skillset reflected that trait pretty well.

But when you fell through a hole in time and space and continued to fall for _thirty minutes?_ That's when you had to draw the line.

If he hadn't been falling at only a few miles an hour, due to being inside a pink bubbly magic warp tunnel, the skin might've been ripped from his face. Even gods could only take so much when falling for that long. In theory. Helios had never tried. It was a shame that nobody had bothered to document the limits gods possessed. The boundaries weren't really straight lines; they were more or less frenzied scribbles drawn by a crayon.

Gods were strange like that.

And then there was the _really_ weird stuff. Helios honestly had no clue where Zoe went half the time she was away handing out messages of cosmic importance. He could take weird. Weird was okay. Weird was fun, actually. But inside Zoe's portals, it was downright _insane._ Some of the things he saw were especially desirable to forget. At least a snack would pop up occasionally. Portal Cookies were surprisingly tasty.

Eventually, after Helios had long since grown bored, he saw light at the bottom. _Finally, I'm getting out of here!_ He thought to himself. _Here's hoping the kids got to the daycare alright._ He also couldn't help but wonder if he'd even been gone for an actual half hour. Time got weird when Zoe was involved. It wouldn't surprise him.

A sudden pickup in the rush of wind alerted him to an increasing speed, until he was falling at the same speed that people typically fell.

 _Ohshit-_ Helios thought, before the wind started to blind him. He may or may not have screamed a little, too.

There was a bright flash of light, and then he was out.

He still couldn't see where he was going, however, so he had no real way of preventing himself from landing on a _person._ Which was exactly what happened.

 _WHOMP!_

Helios would've nursed the bruises that had just formed (luckily they'd be gone in a few minutes), if he wasn't waiting for his head to stop spinning.

 _Never again will I entrust Zoe and Vesper with serving as my personal mode of transport._ He thought.

"Ow…" a feminine voice muttered.

"Eh?" Helios noted that his nose felt oddly tingly. It was also strangely hard to breathe. Helios explored with his hands a bit, feeling a material that was soft, yet prickly. He pried himself off his newfound cushion to see that he'd landed face-first in a pile of silky white tails.

His Potential Accomplice Sense started tingling.

"Oh. Ahri. Hi." He said. "I hope you don't mind me dropping in."

"Quite literally, I see. Who might you be?" the fox girl asked, slowly moving to sit up.

"Helios. The sun. Leona's boss." He said, standing up and offering his hand to her. "Charmed."

"I haven't cast a spell yet," she teased. "I'm Ariel. Ahri's Chosen." Her tails curled as she grabbed his hand and stood up.

"I know." He said, smirking. "Her, ah... _reputation_ precedes her."

Since introductions had been made, Helios could take a bit of time to observe his new surroundings. He had, apparently, landed in the arcade. It looked pretty similar to the rest of the Institute, save for the plush carpet, dim lighting and rows of arcade machines present. They lined the walls and were clustered in certain areas down the middle, ranging from classic Atari games to games that had only come out a few months ago. There were even spaces for console and PC gaming placed in the corners, surrounded with plush couches and recliners to make it more comfortable. There was even a snack bar across the room.

This was promising.

Helios noticed that the other champions with arcade skins were present alongside Ahri, as was Krista. Interesting.

"HA!" Krista crowed, jumping up from her seat as Ezreal tossed the controller to the floor in defeat, "TOLD YOU! And you thought you could beat me at this!"

She gave a loud laugh as she held out her hand for him to shake.

"Good game, Noel," she told him.

"I'll get you next time, Krista," Ezreal's Chosen grinned, "Count on it,"

"I look forward to it!" the Spear of Vengeance grinned.

"And watch as she whines and complains when you beat her," came the rumbling chuckle from the back.

A streak of blue-green fire slammed into the wall...right next to Hecarim's head.

"We didn't ask your opinion you pink haired, backstabbing unicorn freak," Krista hissed, the Black Mist coiling around her bare feet, "Next time...that spear goes through your head,"

"Hey, Hecarim." Helios said.

The spectral centaur turned to look at him.

"You're on my list."

He gave a feral grin.

"Better start running."

The Shadow of War struck the ground with a hoof, pawing at as he rolled his head back...giving the illusion he was rolling his eyes.

"I am dead already. You don't scare me," he huffed before turning around, "Besides, I was just leaving. Being here with _her_ is bad enough,"

"One of these days, Harry Karum, Hecarim, you will feel our spears through your backs," Krista snarled, "Like you did to **_us_** ,"

He gave a laugh before rearing up and galloping off. Krista's grip on her spear tightened as she contemplated hurling it...but seemed to decide against it and let it disappear...along with the Black Mist.

The soft sound of music came through the area and Krista looked up to see Brigid, who gave a slightly worried smile.

"Nah, we... _I'm_ , ok," Krista said, shaking her head, "Gah, I keep slipping up. Sorry if I scared you, Brigid,"

The Maven of the Strings pressed a few buttons on her keyboard, giving the illusion of laughter as her shoulders shook in mirth. Krista looked at Helios.

"Y'know...just gonna tell you now. I don't care if he's on your list or not. You're not takin' him. He's _ours_ ," she told him.

"Fair enough." He replied, shrugging.

He turned to the group as a whole. "So, what're we all doing? Kind of obvious, but, y'know...awkward attempt at changing the subject."

"It's fine," Krista chuckled, "Noel here saw me playing this old atari game, realized it had a two player setting and declared he'd beat me at it,"

"Yeah, I failed...miserably," Noel laughed, "How'd you get so good at those anyways…"

"My dad and I used to play them all the time before…" her face fell slightly before she shook her head, "Anyways...it just really serves to give me some feeling of being human instead of...well...me,"

Helios grimaced. "Yeah, I get how that feels." He smirked. "You should've seen Kalista hand in her resumé after becoming a spirit. Boy, was that a conversation I'll never forget."

Krista blinked.

"What did you _do_ , Kalista?" she asked, half laughing and half serious.

"She didn't get her ability to bind spirits to her through impalement by herself." Helios's dry amusement was clearly evident. "She actually listed that as something she wanted to be able to do when we first talked."

"Seriously?" Krista blinked, "I thought that was something you could do right off the bat! I mean...what _could_ you do if not that?"

 ** _"Not much, we are afraid…"_** came the low, almost embarrassed mutter.

"And don't even get me _started_ on Kindred." Helios cleared his throat. " _Yes, hello, I'm Death and I'd like to split myself in half with your axe, please._ "

"I can't see Dianne ever admitting to being weak," Ahri laughed. "Despite her getting nerfed on repeat," she muttered quietly.

"Eventually she'll be nerfed so hard that she can't even get kills." He grinned. "Imagine that. Death can't kill people."

"That sounds ironic to me," she smirked, one of her ears folding as she did so. "So… what are you doing here, Helios?"

"I mean...he might just be exploring and all but, this place is really hard to find if you don't know about it," Krista agreed.

"Have any of you looked outside, by any chance?" He asked.

"Uh no, been a little busy kicking Noel's butt," Krista grinned, "Why...what did you do…and where are the kids?"

He sighed. "Just look out the window. You'll see for yourself."

Krista peered out the window before giving a loud, boisterous laugh.

"Oh. My. _God_! How did you get away with that!?" she howled.

"I almost didn't." He replied. "Cira and Andrew wanted me and the kids to clean it up, but I took it as more of a suggestion, really." He shrugged. "So, I got Zoe and Vesper to portal me away to somewhere I can hide until the heat dies down. The graffiti's gonna wash off in the rain anyways. I sent the kids to the daycare. They should be fine with Braum."

He blinked. " _Shoot,_ I didn't get to talk to him yet. Gonna have to get some facial hair tips."

"...We might want to get Kyra on that then…" Krista said slowly, "You defied Cira...and made her kids disobey her...that is _not_ gonna end well for you. Honestly, if there's one Chosen we as a group are scared of...it's an angry Cira. So...yeah, you're gonna want to hide for a while,"

"Well, at least I was given an adequate place to entertain myself." He said. "I'm not too shabby at games. I've tried my hand at a few, and I'm pretty decent."

"Take your pick," Krista shrugged, "I was just gonna go and beat Harry's high score at Mariokart again. Backstabber thinks he can beat _me_. HA!"

"Just don't throw the consol again if he beats your time again," came Riven's voice as she looked up from where she was playing a simpler game with a little girl with frosted, wild brown hair and sparkling brown eyes, "We had a hard enough time repairing that one,"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Krista huffed, waving a hand, "Go back to playin' with Sora,"

Riven rolled her eyes before moving her hands over Sora's, helping the little girl score another point and getting an elated, almost metallic squeal from the child.

"I'm sorry. Did you say...Mariokart?" Helios asked.

Elsewhere, Selene felt a chill crawl up her spine.

"Uh yeah," Krista shrugged, "It's one of the more recent games, but it's one that I have to keep defending my title over,"

"More like you are fine with others beating you, whereas Harry is the only one you cannot stand," came a prim and proper voice as the faint ticking of metal on stone came to ear.

"Hey, Viv," Krista smiled as Camille's Chosen gracefully walked in, looking over at the assembled Arcades, Project Child, Spirit and deity.

"I assume this is the one who artistically arranged the artful architecture of the Institute?" Vivian asked, raising a brow as her glowing green gaze lasered in on Helios.

Helios stiffened, looking nervously tense.

"Yeah. That's me." He almost squeaked. "Hi."

"You realize that Andrew and quite a hefty amount of summoners are probably not amused," Vivian told him, closing an eye.

"Oh, c'mon Viv, it's _funny_ ," Krista grinned, "Where's Lenny and Amber?"

"On their way, they heard you were going to beat Harry's record again and they wanted to watch in case he came in,"

"Some people just want to watch the world burn," came the sweet reply.

"Considering who you are...I never expected that tone to _ever_ come out of Kalista's mouth,"

"Oh I can be evil if I want to be," Krista chuckled, "Remember what I did to you when you refused to leave your house?"

Vivian's eyes flared a stunning sapphire as Camille wrenched control.

"You are very lucky I have her under control," Camille stated, "She still has not forgiven you for that,"

"Not my fault she decided to go after the big bad _tutorial_ boss in Dark Souls with just a broken sword!" Krista beamed.

"Krista, I swear to God if I didn't like you so much I would cut you to ribbons," Vivian grumbled.

"Oh c'mon, Viv, you know you love me,"

Helios caught wind of an opportunity to finally get over his fear...at least temporarily. Because really, who _wasn't_ afraid of Camille? A kickass British lady who didn't take shit from anything or anyone? No thanks.

"You had her play Dark Souls?" He asked, in amused disbelief. "And she never got payback?"

"I'm revenge personified," Krista snorted, "But I know that Viv's probably biding her time...she's like me in that sense...revenge is best served cold. She's waiting for me to let my guard down,"

"But you are bonded to a paranoid Champion so that is unlikely," Vivian sniffed, "You will get what's coming to you, Krista, I'll make sure of it. Though...if _someone_ would like to be a catalyst for that...I would not be adverse to that,"

She threw a pointed look at Helios.

A red spark gleamed in his eye, anime-style.

"Krista, you have no _idea_ what you've just unleashed." He said. "I hereby challenge you and _everyone else_ in the arcade to a game of _Mariokart!_ "

The Spear of Vengeance gave a wry grin before laughing.

"Alright! You're on! Give me a run for my money! I haven't had a challenge in _ages_!"

* * *

" _HAHAHAHA **YEAH!**_ " Helios yelled, throwing his controller away and thrusting both hands in the air triumphantly. " _I WIN! **I WIN!**_ "

Helios had completely and utterly _obliterated_ the competition. As King Boo, he'd torn past everyone else like it was nothing, even going so far as to lap them occasionally on a few of the maps they'd played. Krista had been so relentlessly stubborn that she refused to admit defeat, trying to win on every single track of the game, only to fail spectacularly. Helios's high score now sat proudly atop that of the Spear of Vengeance, nearly double its value.

"Well, least Harry's going to have a hard time beating _that_ ," she grinned, "I'm half tempted to make you play _Contra_ with me...see how well you fare against a former sniper,"

"You're on." He said. "Though I mainly prefer dance games and Nintendo games myself. RPGs on the side, occasionally."

"I'm a sucker for the classics," Krista shrugged, "Give me an Atari consol or an arcade game and I will be _set_. I'm not much of a dancer despite the fact I'm light on my feet,"

"Your mother's dancing didn't translate over to you?" Vivian asked, making Krista's ghostly face glow brightly as if she were blushing, "That I find hard to believe,"

"I'm a soldier," she growled, "Not a _prima-balerina,_ "

"Coulda fooled me on the battlefield," Lenny grinned, leaning on his shotgun, "C'mon Krissy, with moves like that…?"

" _Podoydite k sigarete_ ," Krista snarled, only to get a light tap on the head by Vivian.

"Telling him to choke on his cigar is not very nice Krista," came the scold.

"But he _deserves_ it," she huffed.

As Vivian and Krista continued to bicker, with the other arcade champions looking on, Helios quickly and quietly motioned for Ahri to join him in a secluded area over by the corner, without the others noticing.

"So…." Helios stuck his hands in his pockets (it had been an odd design choice for armor, but it worked) once their privacy was assured. "You can pretty much get guys to do whatever you want them to, right?"

"Mmm well I've come to understand that it's kind of wrong, but yes." She mumbled.

"Why so nervous?" Helios asked. "I might have a use for that in the future."

"Assuming, of course, that you wouldn't mind a bit of _mischief._ " He grinned.

The nine tailed fox's eyes lit up. "Depending on the type of mischief I think the two of us might be interested." She grinned.

"Oh, I think you'll enjoy what I've got in mind." He replied. "It's a bit high-risk, high-reward, if you're into that kinda thing."

"Sounds good to me."

"Alright." He said. "Sounds like a plan."

"Now, in the meantime, before the others get suspicious, I suggest we go back and find a more _innocent_ way of entertaining ourselves." He looked over at the games along the wall. "I'm curious to see what your preferences are."

Ariel and Ahri smirked at him, champion and Chosen in harmony, one eye blue, one eye gold. "Why don't we go pay Pac Man a visit?"

"You're on." He replied. "Prepare to taste defeat."

Turns out, Ariel and Ahri were really good at Pac Man. They abused the fact that there were two of them playing the game and kept track of where all the ghosts were at all times, as well as keeping track of where they had yet to travel to collect power pellets.

"Beat that," she grinned triumphantly before stepping away from the arcade game.

Helios cracked his knuckles. "If you insist."

He started up a game, paused...and then his hands were a blur.

What Ahri and Ariel had yet to learn was that Helios, due to being capable of traveling at the speed of light, had heightened reflexes and instincts. His hands flew across the controls, his eyes darting around the screen at inhuman speeds as he directed Pac Man as needed. He may not have been two people playing at once, but his abilities more than made up for that. When he'd finally been beaten, and Pac Man had died, his score was just a little bit higher than Ahri's.

"I mean, you offered." He said, stepping away and gesturing to the machine.

She shrugged, "I suppose we did." Then, after a moment she mumbled, "There go my records."

"What, you think you can't beat me?" He said teasingly. "Has the almighty femme fatale lost her nerve?"

She huffed, "You don't even have a Chosen and you're able to perform at the same level as us. I'll go again though."

"Then by all means." He struck a Captain Falcon-esque taunt pose. " _Show me your moves._ "

She grinned, "I'm really feeling it!" She yelled before going to town at Pac Man again.

This time, she and her Chosen managed to beat Helios's score. "Oh, I see how it is!" He said, getting back in after she'd finished. "Gonna make me work for my money, are you?"

They must have been playing for half an hour, at least. At that point, both of them were experiencing cramps in their fingers, barely able to hold the controls.

"One more time…" she muttered as she tried to start another game, only for her to hold down on the button for far too long and ram into a ghost.

"Oof." Helios winced, still cradling his throbbing wrist. "Maybe we should try something else, and refrain from pulling something."

"That would probably be a good idea…" she walked away from the machine. "What else can we do…" she looked around, trying to find a suitable game.

Helios's eyes landed on a Dance Dance Revolution machine, suitable for two players.

Oh yes.

 _Oh, **YES.**_

" _Say!_ " He grinned, gesturing for Ahri to look where he was pointing. " _That_ looks fun!"

"It does," she grinned challengingly. "Want to have at it?"

"Only if you're ready to lose." He grinned back. It was beginning to become a bit of a habitual response for Helios, but oddly enough he didn't mind.

The two of them raced over, quickly stepping onto their respective platforms and booting up the game. This caught the attention of the others, who up until then had been involved in a grueling Super Smash Bros match.

"C'mon Ariel! Kick his butt!" Noel cheered, pumping his fist.

Brigid clapped her hands enthusiastically as she nodded. Sora giggled in her mother's arms, also clapping as the two got ready.

"Oh this will be fun," Krista grinned, "Ariel's not been beat on this game yet…"

"That changes today." Helios replied, cracking his neck. "You've never even _seen_ hips like mine, I guarantee it."

"Miss Popstar there might show ya up," Lenny chuckled, "But hey...you beat Krissy at a game...maybe you've got a shot,"

Ahri grinned, "Why don't we stop talking and start doing?"

"Sounds good to me." He replied. "What kinda tune are you feeling like?"

"I enjoy upbeat songs… hmm…" Ariel began to scroll through the song list.

"Wait. Stop at that one." He pointed to one that caught his eye. " _Yeah,_ that'll do nicely!"

"Take Back the Night?" She asked. "Mkay. You ready?"

"Oh, _hell yeah._ " He said. "But let's make this a little more _interesting,_ shall we?"

Helios's fingers darted across his own screen, making adjustments in the Options menu. Ahri saw that he was setting the difficulty to Expert, while adding the mirror setting to the gameplay, along with the default. This would place a character on the screen that would demonstrate moves for them to copy. Since the difficulty was so high, it was going to require a _lot_ of coordination and timing. Not only that, but the arrows on the platforms would still have to be stepped on. This would be a match won through blood, sweat and tears if it was the last thing Helios did.

"This looks like _fun_ ," Ahri announced, her tails curling in delight behind her.

"Then let's do this." Helios said, pressing start and getting into position. The others were squirming in their seats behind the both of them, eagerly captivated.

A generic character highlighted in blue appeared on the screen. He gave a quick bout of dialogue, asking if they were ready before counting down from three.

" _THREE!_ "

Helios and Ahri looked at each other.

" _TWO!_ "

They both tensed, preparing themselves.

" _ONE!_ "

They grinned.

The bass dropped, the first few notes of the song ringing out. The character's body jerked, starting off a series of upper body movements, which the deity and vastaya copied. The rhythm picked up from there, easing into a predictable pattern that involved movements that were basic in execution, but strung together at high speed.

The lyrics started.

 _Yeah, this was your city_

 _You did it all and more, broke every law except for one, babe_

 _Attraction, are you ready?_

 _I know you feel it, pull you nearer 'til you feel it again, oh_

Helios and Ahri slid, stepped and shook to the beat, their movements perfectly in tune with the flood of arrows that were streaking down the screen. At one point, Krista had shut the windows and dimmed the lighting in the arcade, as the platforms would light up with different colors when arrows were stepped on. It was mainly to set the mood, but did its job nonetheless.

 _I wanna do something right_

 _But we can do something better_

 _Ain't no time like tonight_

 _And we ain't trying to save it 'til later_

 _Stay out here living the life_

 _Nobody cares who we are tomorrow_

 _And you got that lil' something I like_

 _A little something I've been wanting to borrow_

The beat picked up, the two's dancing accelerating with it. The motions became more emphasized, more lively, more energetic. Both of them were focused solely on the screen in front of them, absorbed by the torrent of arrows. Neither of them could even hear the enthusiastic cheers of their friends, Krista practically going nuts at the display.

 _Tonight's the night, come on surrender_

 _I won't lead your love astray, astray, yeah_

 _Your love's a weapon_

 _Give your body some direction_

 _That's my aim_

They started moving slower, yet more fluidly, gliding along to the rhythm as it smoothened.

 _Then we could_

The pace quickened, slowly getting faster and faster.

 _Take back the night_

 _Come on, use me up until there's nothing left_

 _Take back the night_

 _Dizzy, spinning, sweating, you can't catch your breath_

 _Take back the night_

 _Ooh, don't know when the sun is rising next_

 _Take back the night_

 _So if the feeling's right, raise your glass and let's_

 _Take back the night_

The two of them exploded, launching into a series of powerful, dynamic movements that snapped, twisted and popped with motion. Both of them were enjoying this immensely, and it felt good to cut loose for once. It had been a long time since either of them had any competition. Helios had attempted to challenge the other gods to a dance-off once, but Anivia was still traumatized from the Snowdown Salsa incident from a few centuries back.

Both of them had only gotten to the first post-hook, and they were already having the time of their lives. Though in all honesty, Ahri had considered cheekily using her tails to her advantage. But when Helios matched her motion for motion and even made her put more effort into her own performance, she ditched the idea. This was interesting. This was a challenge. This was _fun._ And it'd been a while since she'd had any _real_ fun.

 _Rare, there's not too many_

 _No one but you and crowded rooms, we can do anything (yeah)_

 _Attraction can drive you crazy_

 _The way you move, you go crazy, that's incentive for me_

 _I wanna do something right_

 _But we can do something better_

 _Ain't no time like tonight_

 _And we ain't trying to save it 'til later_

 _Stay out here living the life_

 _Nobody cares who we are tomorrow_

 _And you got that lil' something I like_

 _A little something I've been wanting to borrow_

"She's sure giving him a run for his money!" Krista grinned.

"But who will win?" Vivian replied, "honestly I was thinking she'd use her tails by now,"

"Naw that's cheatin'," Lenny chuckled, "she'll beat 'im fair and square, Boss,"

Helios would've made a contradictory remark, but he was too enveloped in the game. Sweat was beginning to form on his brow as the lyrics went on, and he could see that the same was true with Ahri. But there was _no way_ that he was going to lose this. He had his pride to uphold, after all, and as fun as the vixen was he wasn't going to yield so easily. They stomped, kicked and snapped through the second hook and post-hook, getting more and more intense the longer they went on. Neither of them had yet to make a mistake, too consumed to even give the notion a thought. But _gods,_ this was fun.

 _Break it, break it down now_

 _Break it, break it down now_

 _Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo_

 _(And the horns say, alright)_

 _(And the horns say, alright)_

 _(Uh, ooh, and the horns say, alright)_

 _(And the horns say)_

 _Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo_

 _Take it over_

 _Yeah, yeah_

 _Take back the night, take back the night_

Faster, faster, _faster_ they went, until they were almost a blur. Both of them had more than enough stamina for this, but the pure strain that they were putting their concentration through was starting to get to them. Their timing continued to be flawless, their execution perfect, but it wouldn't be long before one of them slipped up.

(In hindsight, perhaps Helios shouldn't have chosen a song that was five minutes long, but he was enjoying himself nonetheless.)

The character tensed, briefly crouching and coiling his spine. In the few brief milliseconds that followed, Ahri and Helios both realized what was going to happen, eyes widening.

 _Ohshit-_ They thought, before reacting. They swung their right legs back, flung them forward and _flipped,_ corkscrewing backwards in midair. Ahri's tails almost got in the way, before she managed to tuck them in at the last second.

The two of them landed on their feet, scrambling to meet the motions and arrows as they came back with renewed fervor.

 _Take back the night_

 _Ooh, don't know when the sun is rising next_

 _Take back the night_

 _So if the feeling's right, raise your glass and let's_

 _Take back the night, take back the night_

 _They gon' try to shut us down, I'll be damned if we gon' let them_

 _Take back the night, take back the night_

 _You know you gon' mess around and find out there ain't no one better_

Both of them were so close now. They were both sweating buckets, and even Ahri's tails were somewhat damp. Their motions were getting wobbly, though nevertheless enough to avoid mistakes.

 _(And the horns say) alright_

 _(And the horns say) uh_

Almost there…

 _(And the horns say) feels good to me_

 _(And the horns say) alright, ooh_

 _Take it over_

Their feet slammed down on the final arrow, and the character on the screen excitedly exclaimed that they had finished.

The two slumped, sighing with relief as they panted. Ahri had fallen to her rear, while Helios was on his back, still sweating.

"Holy _shit._ " He said. "That was…"

"Intense?" She managed in between pants.

"Sure." He wheezed. "Let's go with that."

He craned his neck up. "What'd we get for that? Who won?"

And the most remarkable sight greeted him in reply.

Fifty-thousand points each.

A perfect score. And a tie.

"What…? How?" her eyes flashed colors back and forth as Ahri and Ariel tried to figure out the odds of a tie with a perfect score. "This is insane…"

"Would you look at that," Amber laughed, twirling her staff around until it was on her shoulder, "looks like we have _two_ grand Champions at that game!"

"Awwww cute couple," Krista chuckled.

"Krista!" Vivian scolded.

"What? I'm a bit of a troll, you haven't realized that yet?" The Spear of Vengeance smirked, "I mean, I _do_ kinda throw people together…"

"Like you did with Leo and Panth?" Riven asked, smiling.

"And then yelled 'Just kiss already!'" Ana finished, her copper gaze glowing in the shadows of her 'Final Boss' cowl, "I honestly thought Those two were going to skewer you,"

"Already dead, can't die again unless Dianne shoots me," Krista replied flippitantly, waving her hand dismissively.

"I could still arrange for her to shoot you in the foot, you know!" Helios shouted. "It wouldn't kill you, but it'd still hurt like hell!"

"Dianne wouldn't hurt me!" Krista retorted, "she's the one who saved me by getting me _here_ instead of leaving me seizing on the floor of my house,"

"I dunno, the concept of seeing Kalista in the Institute's hospital with a hole in her spectral green foot sounds like pretty good motivation." He replied.

"Why don't you ask Dianne about that?" Krista asked with an almost smug grin, "bet she'd say otherwise,"

"Mh." Helios grunted. "Maybe I'll do it later, when I can get my lazy bum off of this platform. I'm gonna have to at some point, anyways. Cira's murderous aura should be gone by now."

The assembled Chosens all shifted uncomfortably.

"If there is _one_ thing we know about Cira…" Amber started, "its that she _doesn't_ forget,"

He sighed. "Welp, I suppose I should head off to face my impending doom, then. The kids are going to need a human shield, too. Someone mind helping us up? I don't know about Ahri, but my legs don't want to move right now."

The girl simply groaned before faceplanting.

"I'll take that as a _yes._ " He said. "A little help, please?"

"Traveling through my daughter's interdimensional portals and almost immediately after coming out challenging the reigning champion of dance to a dancing game was _probably_ not your smartest move," came a sun-warm female voice.

Helios screamed.

" _GODS NO I DON'T WANT TO DIE!_ " He shrieked. Of _course_ Cira and Leona would track him down, especially at the worst time. His lucky was pretty shitty like that. It was finally time for him to make the choice Kindred offered. He'd prefer to take the Omae Wa Mo Shindeiru route, if that was an option. At least it would be relatively quick.

"Oh stop being so overly dramatic," Cira scoffed, coming over and yanking him to his feet without straining, "I don't kill...maim or seriously injure _sometimes_ but never kill,"

"Unless the person playing you went to the Cira School of Supports," Arthur pointed out, "Miss 12/0/5 full tank Leona…"

Cira shot him a glare.

"I thought we agreed never to talk about that," she hissed.

"I agreed to no such thing!" He smirked, "but I think we've got a little bit of punishment to hand out?"

"A bit," Cira growled, eyes flickering gold and narrowing, "Helios...you are _going_ to clean the Institute top to bottom so it _shines_ like a star. No powers. Just good old fashioned elbow grease. And if you don't…it's a good thing I'm good friends with Hailey and Aurelion...I'm sure they'll find something apt as an incentive,"

"I don't think this is how the whole 'employer-employee' thing works." He replied, squinting.

"You made my children disobey me," Cira reminded him, "I at least _try_ to keep some amount of order so the inmates aren't running the asylum,"

His shoulders slumped in defeat, pouting. "Fine. It washes off easy anyways."

Helios squatted down in front of Ahri, offering her his hand once again. "Thanks for the competition." He said, smiling. "I had fun."

She smiled, taking it. "I did as well, despite how sore I'm going to be tomorrow," she laughed. As she stood up, Ahri fluffed up her tails, then shook them and sighed. "Maybe we can go again after your punishment is over?"

"I'd like that." He replied. "See you around."

He turned away, waving to the others one last time before walking out the door, Cira and Arthur escorting him out into the hallway. Selene was waiting for them, arms crossed and bearing a dry amusement.

"Paying for your crimes at last, brother dear?" She asked.

"I feel like I'm being marched to a firing squad." He muttered.

"Oh you big baby, you'll be fine," Cira teased.

Helios knew that. More so than she realized. Selene couldn't help but feel pity for her. Helios, despite being completely insufferable _and_ incorrigible, always cleaned up after himself when enacting his latest schemes, be it directly by his hand or not. He knew when the joke became stale. It was his own special way of showing that he cared.

 _However,_ that most certainly did _not_ mean he wouldn't get revenge.

Selene contemplated whether she should warn them or not.

She decided against it. It was going to happen regardless. There was no point in ruining her brother's fun.

 **I...am fully expecting an all out prank war between Helios and Cira. Cira's got a massive "Don't get mad, get even" mentality. If he starts it, she will do her _best_ to finish it. Next we get to go back to the kiddos! We've already met a few (Met Riven and Yasuo's daughter, Sora, here!), now we get to meet more!**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)  
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)**

 **Pantheon-Arthur Jonson**

 **Jarvan- Zack Turner**

 **Garen-Kaiden Darkhound**

 **Lux-Amelia Pond**

 **Lucian- Jonathan Cross Jr. (Senna-Sienna Cross)**

 **Quinn- Seluna Russignol (Armstrong)**

 **Vayne- Valencia Storm**

 **Fiora- Victoria Meraux**

 **Galio- Stan Jackson**

 **Shyvana- Sonja Chadayev**

 **Xhin Zhao- Lex Fuller**

 **Taric- Ruben Synne**

 **Kayle-Ryo Kaida**

 **Zoe- Vesper Jonson**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye (Diamond)**

 **Aurelion Sol- Hailey Cannon**

 **Tahm Kench-Agus Bukalow**

 **Tryndamere-Matthew Hodges**

 **Ashe-Amelia Whitworth (Hodges)**

 **Kalista-Krista Rhon**

 **Sion- Nick Diamond *mentioned***

 **Azir- Zahir Solaris *mentioned***

 **Ezreal- Noel Hikari**

 **Veigar- Ana Lynn**

 **Hecarim- Harold (Harry) Karum**

 **Ahri-Ariel Royal**

 **Camille-Vivian Vauclain**

 **Graves-Leonard (Lenny) Wood**

 **Nami-Amber Undina**

 ** _Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)_**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 **Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)**

 **Leona-Janie Noble**

 _ **...And then there are**_ ** _Helios and Selene._**

 **Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!**

 **Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

 **Máriessë ar mára tecië**

 **Farewell and fair writing**

 **Elhini Prime signing off.**


	5. Chapter 5

**So...this is going to be an interesting chapter. Not saying what happens...but if you all remember Cira wanting to make Helios clean up his mess...and if you know Helios...he's not going to take this sitting down. There's some in this chapter that's a little...well...borderline M *glares at Fic* but I promise it's still a T rated fic.**

Chapter V

Four squeals rang through the daycare as four children suddenly landed on a pile of pillows out of a shimmering pink, gold and purple portal.

"That was _fun_!" Ares whooped, hopping up to his feet.

"I forgot how much those made my tummy feel weird…" Apolla whimpered, holding her stomach as she lay flat on her back.

"Oh, c'mon, 'polla!" Ares told his twin, "It was fun an' you know it!"

"But my tummy…"

"Well, I thought I heard new voices!" a deep, heavily Freljordian accented voice boomed.

The siblings all shot up, beaming brilliantly.

"Braum!" they cheered, rushing the Heart of the Freljord and hugging him.

"If it isn't little Artemis, Ares and Apolla," Braum chuckled, ruffling each of the siblings' heads, "I wondered where you three went off to,"

"Went to go see Grandma Gwen," Artemis smiled, "But we're home for now,"

"Did you really?" a now green-eyed Braum, his Chosen, Piotr, asked, "Well, it is good that you are back,"

He looked up at Zoe, who gave a wave.

"And what about you, Miss Zoe?"

"I'm ok now," she told him, "So are Aunt Diana, Mama and Daddy. I just...don't know how long it'll last,"

Piotr gave a soft hum as he nodded before picking up Ares and setting him on his shoulder.

"Well, let us make the most of this, yes?" he asked.

The siblings nodded before a high-pitched squeal pierced the air.

"MISSY!"

Artemis looked up, beaming brightly as a black-haired, blue-eyed blur shot towards her and nearly tackled her.

"Vasher!" Artemis beamed, hugging her best friend.

"Where _were_ you?!" the Freljordian Princess demanded, narrowing those ice-blue eyes, "It's been so _booooring_! I haven't been able to get Torin to glitch because you weren't here!"

"I thought your Mama told you not to do that anymore,"

"It's fun," Vasher shrugged, "Besides, Torin doesn't remember when I do it and I only do it when Mama and Daddy aren't around,"

"You're gonna get in trouble one of these days,"

"Eh, don't care,"

"Hi 'polla!" a small girl cheered. Her hair was short and her bright blue eyes seemed to show the smile on her face. "Eon probably didn't even notice you were gone." The girl jerked her thumb towards a boy who was very similar in appearance, though his hair was slightly curly and he he had green eyes though… you couldn't see them for the book his nose was shoved into.

Apolla's blue eyes gleamed with wicked mischief as she spotted Eon reading. She padded closer…

"SNEAK ATTACK!" she squealed and tackled Eon around the neck, giggling happily, "Hi Eon!"

The boy yelped, dropping the book. "A...polla? When did you get back?"

"This morning!"

"Oh o-KAY!" He yelped as another figure tackled him, though this one...

"Gotcha!" Umbra beamed as she lay flopped on top of him.

The boy groaned. "Stop that…"

"DOG PIIILLEEE!" another female voice cheered as a white-haired girl flopped ontop of all of them there.

"Owie! Saraaaaaa!" Apolla whined.

"Hi 'polla!" Sara grinned, giving the same almost manic smile that her mother was famous for, "What's up?"

"Not you!" Apolla grumbled, "Lemme uuuppppp!"

"Uggggh _fine_ …." Sara grumbled, getting up, "But only because I didn't want Sparky to-AH!"

There was a slight zapping sound and Sara jumped high into the air, whirling on her blue-haired brother, who was on his butt laughing.

"SPARKY!" she yelled.

"What?" Coal, better known as "Sparky", shrugged, "I was just getting even for you cheating me in Uno!"

"I WON FAIR AND SQUARE FUNSUCKER!"

"All of you get off of 'im!" a shrill voice declared before small figure raised her arms causing pebbles to pierce through the floor. Tara, Taliyah's daughter was trying to knock them all up but… her stoneweaving wasn't quite as advanced as her mom's.

"And this is where line is drawn," came Piotr's rumble as the Support plucked the kids off the ground with impeccable speed and placed them away from each other, "We must be careful we do not hurt anyone, yes?"

"Yes Mister Braum," came the chorus of children.

"Good, now, go on and play," Braum shooed the children away, who ran off in little packs, giggling.

He gave a chuckle and walked over to the Nursery where the younger children were...particularly the infants. He gave a smile as he walked over to one of the crying babies and picked her up.

"Now, now, little Aiko, is fine now," he soothed, gently rocking the white-haired, violet-eyed baby that belonged to Syndra and Zed before looking up at another figure, "How are the others, Emilia?"

"They're fine," Annie's chosen declared. "I was coming to check on Aiko myself, then I was gonna see if the older kids wanted to play with Tibbers."

"Perhaps," Piotr nodded, "Though I think only Artemis would be able to exactly get close unless you are able to disenchant his flames,"

He sat Aiko down and tickled a little boy with dark hair and intelligent brown eyes.

"Deshi looks happy," he noted looking at Shen and Akali's son, "Maybe it was because he got to spend the day with Aiko?"

"Maybe. And I can. I let them play with him yesterday Piotr, remember?" she huffed.

"Haha! True, true," he chuckled, "Sorry, there have been a lot of things I've been thinking about. That War being one of them. But, apparently it is over and everything is back to normal for a bit. I would not be surprised if I would be seeing Cira soon…"

The Daycare's doors opened and the two Chosen could hear Apolla give a squeal of joy.

"Mama!"

"Speak of the devil," Piotr grinned as he started towards the doors to see a group of people, most of them he recognized...but there were two he didn't.

He saw Leona's golden eyes light up happily as she spied him before they darkened to blue and Cira gave a warm smile.

"Been a long time, Braum," she smiled as she scooped up Apolla, who nuzzled into her neck, "Good to see you're still as good as ever,"

"It is good to have the _real_ Leona back as well," the Heart of the Freljord agreed, "Not that imposter who tried to start a war. But, I must ask, who are those two?"

He looked at Helios and Selene.

"I have never seen them before,"

"Selene. The moon." She said, nodding.

"Helios. The sun." He grinned. "A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. And good _gods,_ that mustache of yours is magnificent."

Braum gave a loud, booming laugh that infected just about everyone, causing the room to fill with giggles and laughter.

"Ah, thank you, my friend. That is a very good compliment...haven't had one that good since Leona complimented me on just about _everything_ ,"

"You mean she _fangirled_ over you," Cira grinned before her eyes flashed gold and Leona's face turned a lovely shade of scarlet, "Cira, I thought we agreed not to talk about that…"

Helios pulled out his phone.

Selene raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

He held up a finger to silence her.

He swiped through the "Videos" folder, until he'd found the file he was looking for.

He hit play, then showed everyone the screen.

 _"Hello young lady!" the Braum in the screen greeted, "My name is Braum, what is yours?"_

 _"L-Leona," she started, her golden eyes wide as she started forwards, reaching a hand to the shield, "It's so…where's your sword?"_

 _"My shield is my sword, Miss Leona," Braum chuckled, "It used to be an indestructible door…but I got around it and used it as a shield to protect a little troll child from avalanche,"_

 _"That…that's so…_ COOL _!" she grinned, giving an almost undignified, girlish squeal as she nearly danced in place._

"She then followed him around like a golden puppy for weeks," Cira grinned.

"How did you even film that?" Selene asked her brother.

"I'm always watching, Selene." He said. " _Always watching._ "

"Hehehe he sounds like that monster from _Monsters Inc!_ " Ares giggled.

"He kinda does, doesn't he?" Artemis agreed.

"Disney is love, Disney is life." Helios grinned.

The kids giggled and nodded, despite some of their peers looking at them weird.

"Tron best Disney movie," Cira grinned, picking up her eldest daughter, "followed by Hunchback of Notre Dame and Brave,"

"Pooh bear!" Artemis beamed.

"Him too," Cira agreed.

"Lion King, then Aladdin." His eyes narrowed. "And you will never convince me otherwise."

"To each their own," the Project Chosen shrugged, "But you'll never convince me that 'Hellfire' isn't the best villain song,"

"If you say so." He replied. "Kids, you ready? We've got to clean up the stunt we pulled, and you know how irritable your mother gets when we don't-"

His eyes landed on Aiko.

He fell silent, staring.

"Something on your mind…" came Cira's query as Piotr held Syndra and Zed's daughter close, gently rocking her.

"That's Syndra and Zed's kid, right?" He asked.

"Aiko, yes," Piotr nodded, "she's only a few months old,"

"Well, clearly she got none of her looks from her dad, because she's the cutest thing around!" He exclaimed giddily, holding his arms out. "Mind if I hold her?"

Piotr smiled and handed the baby to Helios. The baby's violet eyes fluttered open under almost impossibly long lashes.

"There's a little bit of Zed in there," Cira told him, "she's like Torin, Sora, Coal...Sparky I mean...Gabriel, Jayvyn, and Artemis...though like Torin she's one of the few who has their parent's white hair,"

"A little bit of Zed, huh?" He said. "As if I'm going to let her become a miniature edgelord." Gods knew that Zed and Kayn were enough edginess for the Institute to handle.

"Well hey there!" Helios smiled, cradling her in his arms. "My name's Helios. You must be Aiko. It's nice to meet you!"

Aiko giggled, getting a chuckle out of him. "Aren't you just the cutest thing?" He asked. "I guess I'm gonna have to be your uncle so that Irelia lays off of you. Because Irelia's _mean,_ isn't she?" He cooed, leaning in close. " _Isn't she?_ "

She laughed, reaching up with her arms to grab tiny fistfuls of his hair. "Ack! Leggo!" He laughed, gently removing his locks from her grip. "You're a clammy little lady, aren't you? You might make a decent partner in crime someday."

"Helios, she's _far_ too young for you to be inducting her into your schemes." Selene chided, though it wasn't without mirth. "You could at _least_ wait until she's old enough to speak."

"I like to plan ahead." He replied, smiling as Aiko tried to chew on his shoulder plate. "I think she'll do just fine."

"She's already a bit of a handful," Cira chuckled, "wouldn't be surprised if she and Deshi ended up being little trouble makers. He's Akali and Shen's son,"

"I figured." He said. "We'll start planning later, little one." He handed her back to Braum. "Right now, I've got to…" He shuddered. " _Work._ "

"And so do you four," Cira added, tapping her foot, "March, munchkins,"

The four Targonian children gave whines, but did as their mother said.

Helios sighed, then followed, sharing their glumness.

 _But,_ while Cira and Arthur weren't looking, he gave a sneaky grin to their children.

They were going to be forced to clean it up, but he would _not_ suffer a blow to his pride like this.

Oh no, he knew _exactly_ how to turn this situation around for all of them.

* * *

After depositing Helios and the kids on the roof of the Institute, handing them buckets of cleaning supplies and telling them to behave (Cira had also arranged for Vivian to watch over them as a precaution), the Rakkoran warriors figured it was time to catch up with a few old friends.

"I just hope that they don't judge us too harshly for what happened…" Cira muttered.

"They won't," came her husband's reply, "they know it wasn't us...they'll probably be really happy to see us both,"

"You're probably right,"

The two walked into one of the many common rooms of the Institute. As soon as they set foot into the room, the Champions And Chosens assembled ceased talking and looked at the two. There was dead silence for a moment...before an overwhelming cry of the two Targon Chosens' names rang out and they were rushed.

"It's so good to have you back!" came Amelia's smile as a faint flicker over her showed icy circuits.

"It's good to _be_ back," Cira replied, "how are all of you? Anything happen while we were gone?"

"Eh, not really," Violet, Vi's Chosen, shrugged, "missed my sparring buddy is all…"

"We'll have to fix that then!" Cira grinned, "You think you can take me, New Gen?"

"Bring it on, Old Timer!" Violet challenged.

"Maybe later," came Krista's voice as she came up and punched Cira in the arm, "you realize how many people wanted your head under that curse…I turned 'em down of course because you're a Champion. But also because you're a friend,"

"It's good to see you too, Krista," Cira smiled.

"Oh you're not gonna think that once we get on the Rift together!" Krista grinned.

"...you're gonna throw me 1v5 aren't you…"

"1v6...it's _Hexakill_ this week!" Krista cackled.

"Some things...do not change," Cira sighed.

A high pitched shriek shot through the area as a blue-haired blur nearly tackled Cira. Cira blinked before giving a sad smile as Jinx, or rather _Mya_ , buried her head in her chest.

"You're back…" Mya cried, hugging her cousin, "I thought...I thought…"

"I'm back," Cira reassured her, "I don't know how long...but I am."

"You mean this isn't permanent?" Caroline, Caitlyn's Chosen, asked.

"Apparently this whole thing was started on Earth," Arthur said, "and we can't get to it. The Tribunal made it so we're sane...least for a while,"

"...Can we fix it?" Samantha, Morgana's Chosen, questioned.

"We...don't know," Cira admitted, looking at her husband.

 _"But I sure hope we can…"_ came Leona's soft whisper.

* * *

To say the least, the three Chosen brought by Zoe were very confused. They got left behind in a rush, then decided to explore this Institute at their own leisure. They thought it would be similar to the one they knew, but they could not have been more wrong. Within the first ten minutes, they were absolutely and hopelessly lost and they just kept trying to figure out where to go, resulting in them getting even more lost.

"I knew we should have taken a right back there!" Arthur declared to Dianne who was rubbing her head.

"Arthur we listened to you last time and you actually had us walk in a circle somehow," Janie huffed.

"Let's just look for one of the Chosen here and see if they can help us find the others of our 'group.'" Dianne decided.

"Fine," Arthur said and the three Chosen instead began to look for someone to get directions from, not a particular place.

They hadn't gotten too far when they heard giggling and the sound of little feet running on marble.

"Jayvyn Anwar! Get back here!" a female voice yelled, "You aren't getting away _that_ easy!"

A blur ran out from behind the corner and smack into Arthur. The boy's skin was nearly as dark as the Purifier's, but his hair was a light chestnut brown and wavy and his eyes nearly shone with blue-green light.

"Daddy! Help me!" He called, hiding behind Arthur's legs.

The man blinked as he looked at the small child. He sighed and picked him up before walking towards the voice whom he assumed was the mother of who he also assumed was Jayvyn.

"I'm going to have a _looong_ talk with that man about that boy…" came the woman's voice as the speaker came around the corner, revealing Senna, "Young man! It's time for your bath! You've been avoiding it all day!"

"But _Maaaamaaa!"_ Jayvyn whined.

Arthur smiled before offering the child over. "I believe he is yours?" Dianne laughed behind him though, when he turned, she didn't offer him a reason as to why.

Senna looked at him strangely for a moment as she took her son.

"Lu-"

"Senna, I can't find him...I've been all over this whole building...I swear he's been taking lessons from Umbra…" came a voice similar to Arthur's as this world's Lucian came up.

The double caught sight of the three travelers and stopped short.

"So...Vesper didn't just drag Dianne out did she…"

"She didn't," Dianne's eyes burned with amusement beneath her mask.

"Hi," he said somewhat sheepishly. "I'm Arthur."

Lucian's eyes turned a lighter shade of brown and he extended his hand.

"Jonathan, this is my wife, Sienna," he said, "so...my guess is that Cira isn't…"

Arthur took his hand. Dianne shook her head and Janie sighed. "We don't like talking about it. I'm Janie, Leona's chosen."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Sienna apologized, "but if your guys' timeline is going to be anything like ours…I'm pretty sure she'll be back...and you might get a little trouble maker like this kiddo!"

She tickled Jayvyn, who squealed and squirmed, a faint flicker revealing teal circuits.

"He's… a project too?" the man shivered.

"The firstborn kids of ours are," Jonathan nodded, "Artemis, Aiko, Gabriel, Sora, Coal, Jayvyn, Torin...all of 'em are Projects,"

Arthur studied the boy for a moment. I think I get it." He shook his head and looked to his hands. "I kind of feel bad knowing that I will have to force this on one of my children."

"Does he look like it's hurting him?" Jonathan asked with a smile, "They're just normal kids, they just happen to be a bit stronger than normal. Honestly... _none_ of us thought this was going to be possible...us having kids,"

"Didn't you go into a dead faint when Leona told you?" Sienna teased, making Jonathan rub the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Yeah well…" he sputtered, "Y'know...I'm just gonna go and give Jay his bath,"

He took the boy from his mother and started walking down the hall while Sienna laughed and rolled her eyes.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with him," she chuckled.

Janie laughed. "I suppose you're just gonna be stuck loving him."

Lucian rolled his eyes before leaning against the wall. "So anyways… we're a bit lost to be honest…"

"Anyplace in particular you want to be at?" Senna asked, smiling warmly, "I might not know the Institute as well as my husband but I can get around,"

"Well we were just exploring but now we should probably figure out where Helios, your Arthur and Cira are," Dianne told her.

"Most of the time, where there's a bunch of Chosen, that's where Cira's going to be," the older woman hummed, "So Cira might be in one of the common rooms and Arthur is rarely far from her side. Your other friends are probably going to be a bit trickier to find,"

Dianne tilted her head to think. "Seeing what he did earlier…. If you were a troublemaker where would you probably go?"

"Anywhere in this building to be honest," she grinned, "The worlds' biggest group of troublemakers lives under this roof. Cira might know where your other friends are, she has a knack for knowing that sort of thing. Maybe finding her would be best,"

"Mmm… okay," the girl sighed.

"No chance that there's a map of this place?" Janie asked hopefully.

"Did _your_ Institute have one?" Senna chuckled, "Sadly no. But, like I said. I know my way around,"

"Well would you mind leading us on?" Arthur asked, a small grin on his face.

"Absolutely," Senna nodded, making to take his hand but pausing, unsure if it would be alright.

She shook her head and took it, giving a warm smile as she felt his warm palm in hers.

"Follow me," she told them.

The trio followed after Sienna rather quietly, though it was made obvious if you looked at them that Dianne and Janie were mumbling under their breath, talking to their champions.

"Oh...almost forgot. Remember when you asked about troublemaker hangouts?" Senna asked, "this place here...the Arcade, is probably one of the biggest,"

She gave a soft 'huh'. It looked like Ahri had fallen asleep, exhausted, while a few of the other Arcade Champions chatted excitedly amongst one another.

"Wonder what happened here…" Sienna hummed.

"I do too," Janie murmured.

"Hey uh, have any of you seen Helios or Cira and Arthur?" Dianne asked, raising her voice to be heard.

A flicker of blue green fire appeared in the corner of Sienna's vision.

"Krista, _no_!" Sienna called, "They're friends!"

"Friends?" came the echoing voice of the Spear of Vengeance, who strode forwards, Black Mist curling around her bare feet protectively, "Sienna, I _know_ Dianne's voice. She's been one of my closest friends since I was Chosen and this person here?"

A spear sputtered into existence in her hand as she warily looked at the other Kindred.

"This is not the Dianne I know and have come to call my friend," Kalista's Chosen stated almost coldly, "So tell us, **_who are you,"_**

Dianne gulped as she met Krista's eyes. "I'm Dianne… from an alternate universe. Vesper brought me, Janie and Arthur to try to help with the curse." Kindred's chosen motioned to the two behind her.

"Krista, that's enough," came the British-accented voice of Camille, "Stop scaring the spectators,"

"Sorry, Ma'am," Krista apologized, the spear fading away.

"Don't you apologize to me, and stop with the 'ma'am' crap. I haven't been your Ma'am in many years,"

"You think that's gonna stop me," Krista chuckled, "C'mon, Viv, you're still my Major,"

Camille's Chosen rolled her emerald eyes.

"I told you, I'm not the one you should be apologizing to, Captain Rhon,"

"Sorry," Krista apologized to the group of alternate Chosens, "I guess I fit my Champion a little _too_ well with the wariness. So, let me start over,"

She brushed two ghostly fingers to her helm in an informal salute.

"Captain Krista Rhon, Kalista's Chosen," she introduced, "As to your question earlier, yeah...Helios was here. He tied with Ariel over there in a dance off before getting marched out by Cira and Arthur. I think I heard them say they were going to go to the Daycare to pick up their kids,"

"Ah. Okay. Well we should probably go to one of them… but they did leave us behind…" Dianne huffed.

Janie bumped her fellow Chosen's shoulder. "Stop acting like such a kid," she teased.

"I thought there was a reason you sounded different," Krista started, "How old are you?"

Dianne shifted a bit. "Seventeen…?"

"Aw, you're just a kid!" Krista laughed, "Y'all need a chaperone here…"

"Krista, _honestly_ …" Vivian sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

The girl stared at the spear of vengeance for a moment before declaring, "Death needs no chaperone."

"Fine, call me a tour guide then," Krista grinned savagely, "Tour guide, Chaperone, same thing. Sienna here might know her way around the Institute somewhat...but she's not a Champion and _technically_ not really a Chosen. She can't pinpoint Cira as well as say I can,"

Janie smiled and responded before Dianne could bite back. "If you could take us to her that would be great."

"No problem," Krista shrugged, walking towards them...before grabbing Dianne in a light hold and rubbing her knuckles over the soft fur of Dianne's head, "HA! I've always wanted to do that, my Dianne's too fast for me to do it though!"

Dianne squirmed in her grip letting out sounds of protest while Janie and Arthur looked at each other before bursting out in laughter.

"Krista,I swear…" Vivian muttered, rubbing her temples.

"What!" Krista grinned, letting Dianne go, "Alrighty, kiddos, let's go find some Chosens,"

Dianne glared at Krista before huffing and walking off in a random direction, seemingly forgetting that there was a reason for them trying to find a guide in the first place.

"Where are you heading off to?" Krista asked, her playful manner dissipating slightly, "Aw, shoot. I'm sorry, Dianne, I didn't meant to make you mad,"

The girl turned her head before walking back. "I was joking." She she was quiet for a moment. "Mostly." She rubbed the back of her head before yawning.

"No matter what universe...Dianne is Dianne and _always_ tired," Krista chuckled, "C'mon, this way,"

And with that, she led them towards one of the common rooms.

* * *

Eventually, after Cira and Arthur had finished reacquainting themselves with their friends and family, they decided it would be an appropriate time to check on their children, along with their troublemaking superior. While Vivian had left to watch them after interacting with Janie and her Arthur, and was sure to keep them in line, the two of them just wanted to be sure.

After climbing up to the roof through a hatch in the maintenance room, they both saw just how right they were to be uncertain.

Helios had, once again, taken the rules as a mere suggestion. And he'd roped the children into it.

Though figure skating was unusual, even by their current experience with him.

"Come on kids, let's do it one more time!" He said. "Let's wrap this up!"

All of them had attached their brushes to their feet, and were using them like ice skates. The entire room was covered in a layer of soapy water, with the paint and drawings underneath. They stood in a line at the ready, led by Helios and of all people, Vivian. Somehow she'd managed to acquire her own brushes, which fit around her prosthetics.

"Remember children," Camille told them gently, "keep your hips low to floor and have a strong knee and ankle bend,"

"Okay Miss Camille!" came the quartet's sweet voices.

"Oh dear Lord…." Cira whispered, looking at her husband, "if they fall…"

"I don't think Helios or Vivian will let that happen," Arthur reassured her.

"Here we go!" Helios said.

He pressed the play button on an audio player that he'd somehow acquired, which sat on a deck chair next to him. _Eine Kleine Nachtmusik_ started playing, and the five set off. They were...surprisingly good, considering that it had only been a few hours. Their path was largely dictated by where the soap had been scattered (a few large patches along the towers and middle had been cleaned already), scrubbing the surface spotless where they went. Helios couldn't help but sing along to the rhythm, as the five gracefully spun, pirouetted and jumped accordingly.

They then split up, each going to a different section of the roof. They were so efficient that not a speck of paint remained after they were done (along with gaining style points in addition). For the grand finale, Helios swept his leg in a full three hundred sixty degree turn, gaining momentum with each rotation. He sprayed water all around the area, removing the stains and wiping the roof clean. The kids and Camille mimicked his technique, spinning faster and faster until each of them was a blur.

As the music reached its climax, they suddenly stopped, striking a pose as they flung the last gallon of water onto the roof.

"God _damn,_ I'm fabulous." Helios said, brushing himself off. "Well, that was fun. Thanks for helping me out, Camille."

"Not a _word_ of this to Krista," Vivian warned, giving Helios a sharp glare.

"Deal." He replied, without any intention of keeping quiet. Vivian didn't need to know that, though.

"Oh, Cira! Arthur!" He waved. "We finished!"

"I can see that," Cira called back.

"Mama! Daddy!" The kids yelled as they slid over to their parents.

"So…now that we cleaned up our mess...does that mean we're off the hook now?" Vesper asked.

"I'd say so," Arthur hummed, picking her up, "You All did a great job...I think that calls for some chocolate moon cake,"

Zoe squealed in happiness as she hugged her father's neck.

"Just so long as it's _Panth_ who makes it and not you, dear," Cira teased.

Arthur shot her a playful glare.

"That was revenge for the pie stealing thing wasn't it,"

"What do _you_ think?"

 ** _R  
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A thunderous rumble shook the roof.

"Did Aurelion start grumbling again?" Arthur asked.

"No, that was my stomach." Helios replied, staring down at it. "I'm _starving._ Is it lunchtime yet?"

"Just about," Cira nodded, "I say we all go to lunch...especially after all of you worked so hard,"

"If you can call it that." He said. "What's there to eat around here? I need something with meat in it. I don't do that vegetarian crap."

"There is the marketplace...but their food is rather light," Arthur reasoned, "we _could_ go back to Targon and make something,"

His eyes lit up. " _Hell yeah_. I need that barbecue in my life."

"Home?" Artemis asked, a brilliant smile painting over her face.

"Yeah, Sunshine, we're going home," Cira told her daughter, ruffling her hair, "I suppose that your grandparents are back on the mountain...but let's go get Janie and her Dianne and Arthur and bring them with us,"

"Hope you've got your ceremonial knife on hand." Helios said, rubbing his hands together. "Time for some sacrifices to be made to yours truly."

* * *

There was the sound of a feline meowing and a muttered curse from Leona as she poked her head from the kitchen.

"Artemis! Get this cat out of our kitchen!"

"Sorry Mama!" Artemis called, "Leon! C'mere kitty!"

A blur of tawny gold prowled out of the kitchen, hopping on the couch next to Artemis and laying it's massive head on her lap, purring happily as she rubbed his ears.

"He's just a baby, Mama!"

"Lykos is better!" Ares argued as he tossed a ball and a silver blue shot after it, trotting back to Ares as the wolf pup licked him, making him giggle.

"Mama? When can I have pony?" Apolla asked.

"Apolla, we have a lion and a wolf, I'm not having a horse!" Leona grumbled.

Apolla looked at Helios, who was sitting at the table as he eagerly awaited his meal.

He looked back at her.

"Oh, you know it's happening." He grinned, giving her a double thumbs-up.

Janie rolled her eyes. "You aren't going to ask their mom first?"

He blinked.

Then he laughed.

"No."

"Helios if I come out and find there is a horse in my yard, house or home, you are not getting _anything_ from here. And you can forget about getting any cinnamon rolls," Leona threatened.

 _Ah, excellent._ Helios thought. _Loopholes in the agreement._ "Ugh. Fine. But only because cinnamon rolls."

"I mean it...I don't need a horse up here," she warned, "she's got Hecarim she pesters,"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." He replied, waving her off, while simultaneously mouthing " _no_ " to Apolla. "Hoo- _whee,_ that smells good. What's on the menu besides cinnamon rolls?"

"Some stew and a few other things," Cira told him, wiping her hands on a towel before coming into the living room, "it's not much...but it's what we've got for now. We might have to go hunting again soon,"

He shrugged. "I'm not picky. So long as it fills my stomach, it'll do."

"Should be done soon," she told him, "doesn't take as long up here,"

"About five minutes," came her husband's reply from the kitchen.

Helios slumped back in his chair, looking bored. He then realized he'd forgotten something, sitting upright again.

"Oh, I just remembered: I forgot to ask Andrew about lodgings." He said. "Should see if I can't get my own room at the Institute. It'd be nice to have a place to chill out."

"You're welcome to stay here on the Mountain," Leona told him before giving a smirk, "I almost bet the High Priests would go crazy meeting you and Selene,"

"Don't worry about them treating Selene badly," Diana reassured them, "They've gotten better about treating Lunari better,"

"Like _Asterios_?" Leona teased her sister.

Diana turned a shocking shade of red as her silver eyes flicked away from Leona.

"Honestly Diana I think it's sweet!" Leona smiled, "So...when should I be expecting to be Aunt Leona?"

" _Leona_!" Diana yelled, still red.

"I want nieces and nephews! Mother and father want more grandkids!"

"Same." Helios said. "I want more minions."

Diana buried her head in a pillow, her voice muffled by the fabric as her face shone scarlet.

"I _have_ to torment her," Leona chuckled, "she _is_ my little sister,"

"They wouldn't be _your_ minions anyways!" Diana huffed, shooting Helios a glare before burying her head again.

"Keep telling yourself that." He replied. "My influence gets to everyone sooner or later."

Diana looked at Selene, who sat across from her brother.

She shrugged, basically confirming his statement.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," she grumbled.

"Oh Diana, you're talking as if you're already expecting," Leona teased, hugging her sister before freezing, "Wait…you _aren't..._ are you?"

"It wouldn't surprise me." Selene smirked. "I've seen Asterios get surprisingly _hands-on_ in his advances, from time to time."

"L-Lady Selene!" Diana sputtered.

"Now now, there's no need to be ashamed." She replied. "Your... _performance_ more than made up for it."

"...You _are_!" Leona squealed, "Yes! I'm going to be an _aunt!_ I am going to spoil those children _rotten_ and there is nothing you can do to stop me!"

"Why me…" Diana sighed, putting her head in her hands.

"You haven't told our parents have you…"

"...I was getting to it…" Diana replied, squirming slightly.

"...Father is going to chase Asterios up and down the mountain with a sword...you know that,"

"He's got a head start…"

"I dunno, I've seen how fast the old man can move." Helios said. "Asterios might want to stop skipping leg day, just in case."

"How long?" Leona asked.

"...three weeks," Diana replied, putting a hand to her abdomen, "It's...been hard. I've been staying with him while running from you,"

The Radiant Dawn's shoulders sagged.

"Diana...I…" she started only to freeze up for a second, "Coming, dear!"

There was a chuckle from the kitchen.

"Sometimes I wonder how good that hearing really is…" he called back as Leona came in and kissed his cheek before grabbing the stew pot barehanded.

"Still pretty good," she smiled as she carried the pot into the dining area, "alright, food's ready,"

"Oh, _YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAH._ " Helios gleefully cackled, rubbing his palms together. "Bring. It. _ON!_ "

"Here we go." Selene rolled her eyes.

Cira and Leona soon discovered that he boasted an impressive appetite. It rivaled even that of Tahm Kench, as he slurped down bowl after bowl after bowl. He rarely used his spoon, choosing to tip his bowl up and gulp down the whole thing.

He set down his _fifteenth_ bowl with a satisfied gasp, smacking his lips together. "I think that'll hold me for now." He said.

"I'm glad we made enough to feed the village," Cira grinned.

"I'm surprised Dianne hasn't showed up...you know how she is with cinna-"

Arthur was cut off as Cira shoved a cinnamon roll in his mouth.

"Speak the devil's name and Death will appear," Cira told him.

"Hmm?" A slightly muffled voice asked from behind them.

"See," Cira deadpanned, "Honestly, Dianne I think you might be losing your touch...used to be you'd be here when they were in the oven and trying to swipe one when it was cooling,"

"I have kids now; I came when I could. I'm sure other me," Kindred's chosen motioned to the other room, "was hovering. I know me."

"Possibly," Cira nodded, "But I'm surprised my own kids didn't try. Not that I'm complaining...seems they finally learned patience,"

"Perhaps, but that doesn't mean you should let your guard down," Dianne announced before moving her mask away from her mouth to take another bite.

"True…Ares, finish your soup!" Leona scolded, not even looking at her son, "You know the rules, no dessert before dinner is finished,"

Ares gave a huff, crossing his arms for a moment before finishing his stew.

"All those years of teaching paid off," Leona mused as she idly swirled her spoon in her bowl.

"Yep. I should head back soon though. Astrid is going to dreamwalk again and I need to watch her in case she goes too deeply into someone's nightmare. Don't want to know what will happen if I can't wake her from that," Dianne shivered.

"I do." Helios said, taking a sip of his drink (he'd _really_ gotten addicted to the tropical stuff).

The woman turned to face Helios. "It's… probably really bad, isn't it?"

"Actually, no." He replied. "I mean, a bunch of weird stuff would happen, but like most people there'd be a certain point where she'd figure out she was dreaming and wake herself up." He shrugged. "The more you know."

She nodded before reaching up and adjusting her mask. "I still want to be there for her. Eon probably has something to show me too."

"Fair enough." He replied. He frowned, humming. "Oooooh, I just remembered: I left Ahri sore in the arcade back at the Institute, and I promised her another round. Guess _that's_ going to take up my afternoon."

"I want to watch this time. I only came at the tail end," Cira grinned, "Rematch time!"

"Sure, just don't expect us to do anything _too_ crazy." He replied. "I think Ahri passed out last time."

"Sounds fun," Cira chuckled, "Just don't get Arthur or Panth to dance...I think the only thing they can do is _Jailhouse Rock_ ,"

"That's not fair, Cira!" Arthur huffed, "Doesn't help that Rakan stole my dance,"

"Hm." Helios hummed. "I've been meaning to talk to _him,_ too. Though I'd have to pry him away from Xayah before I could get anything out of the conversation."

"And the...what _would_ you call them?" Cira hummed, "Ah, I'm just going to call them what they look like. Fluffy chick-kiddos. Afi and Riya are actually quite clingy to their parents. Not that Kristen and Fabien or Xayah and Rakan mind,"

"More minions. Excellent."

"...You're going to corrupt every child in the Institute aren't you…" she deadpanned.

"God help us if he gets a hold of Vasher…" Arthur sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Helios waggled his eyebrows, grinning.

"Ashe and Tryndamere will never forgive you," Diana chuckled, "Vasher's hard to control as is...I almost feel sorry for those two when she becomes a teenager,"

"That'll be fun." He said. "Now, about those cinnamon rolls…"

Cira pushed the plate to him.

"Here,"

And in less than a second, it was gone.

"Let it never be said that I don't appreciate good food." Helios said, patting his stomach. "I should be good to head back, once my stomach settles."

* * *

Ahri was generally what one would call a night owl. When there was fun to be had, she was perfectly comfortable with a night out on the town, looking for whatever suited her interests at the time. If there was a nightclub, she was all for it. Late-night sales at the market, done. She'd take whatever she could get.

But this time, on a _weekend_ no less, she was turning in relatively early. And it was all thanks to Helios.

The first round had already taken enough out of her. It was only by sheer luck that she'd managed to win their rematch, which Cira and Arthur had spectated. Helios had suddenly sneezed in the last minute, which cost him enough points to grant her the win. After that, she had to be _carried_ to the couch in the corner, her legs were so numb. Despite her typical routine, she decided that some rest would do her some good. She made a quick order from the food court, ate it after it was sent, then showered and slipped on her nightgown.

She'd just gotten into bed when there was a sudden rap at her window.

She sat up, confused.

She waited for a few seconds, and then it started again. A series of short, rhythmic knocks, lightly striking the glass. She sighed, then pulled off the covers, walking over and throwing the curtains open.

To her surprise, Helios was just outside, hanging upside-down from the roof.

He waved.

She blinked calmly for a moment before suddenly screeching. "WHAT THE HELL HELIOS!"

He placed a finger to his lips, gesturing for her to quiet down.

Though confused, she complied.

He gently opened the window, then swung into the room, doing a neat little flip and landing in a crouch. "Are you _trying_ to get us both caught? I don't need every single guy at the Institute knocking at your door to see what's wrong. Not if this is going to work."

"If what is going to work?" She asked quietly.

"Well, you _do_ remember the offer I made you earlier today, right?" He replied.

He grinned. "Still interested?"

She blinked, then gave a feral grin. "Of course."

"Excellent." He rubbed his hands together. "Alright, here's what we're gonna do…"

He told her.

...He wasn't kidding when he said that it was high risk, high reward. This...this could end _very_ badly, if it didn't work. She would most likely be scarred for life if what Helios had in mind didn't work out.

PBut on the other hand…how could she refuse an opportunity like _this?_

Ariel grinned. "If we get caught we'll be in so much trouble, but…" her tails curled before fluffing up like an excited cat, "It's going to be _so_ fun."

"Then let's get to work." He replied.

* * *

Cira and Arthur, on the other hand, had felt that it was the perfect time for a date. It'd been a while since they went out for dinner, and the Institute's markets and food courts had only grown exponentially during the years they had been cursed. There was one place in particular that they wanted to try, a fancy diner that Fiora had recommended to them earlier that day. It imported cuisine from all over Runeterra, and thanks to the input of the Chosens, plenty of food from Earth was also served. After leaving the kids with Braum, they'd made their way down to the restaurant.

"Monsieur, madame, welcome." The waiter at the door bowed as they arrived, his voice bearing an East Demacian accent. "Table for two, I presume?"

"That would be correct," Arthur nodded, a smile lighting up his helmetless features as he held Cira around her shoulders.

"Then please, step inside." He replied, gesturing to the doorway. "Someone will lead you to your table shortly."

The two walked inside, looking at the lovely scenery, the lights, the tables...it was a beautiful place.

"We might have to come back here again," Cira mused.

"Agreed," Arthur smiled, "but no matter how pretty this place is…it's nowhere near as pretty as you,"

She gently smacked his arm.

"Flirt!" She teased.

"Can you blame me?"

"No...I can't really…"

"Hello!" Another waiter came up to greet them. "Table for two? Right this way." He directed them to a table in front of the stage, where jazz musicians were playing an upbeat little tune as the customers ate, drank and conversed. There were a few Summoners and champions present too, enjoying themselves in the relaxed atmosphere.

"Here are the menus for tonight." The waiter handed a pair to the couple. "I'll be right back." He left, disappearing into the kitchen.

"It all looks good," Cira told her husband, "What do you think you'll get?"

"Probably something from home," Arthur admitted, "It's...been a long time. You? Huh...look Leona, they have calamari…"

Cira gave a slight wince.

"And she's yelling at you," she deadpanned, "Way to go. I'll probably have some Italian Fare though...Victoria said this place had a decent chicken carbonara."

"Have whatever you want, you don't need to worry,"

"Right." The waiter returned. "Ready to order?" He asked, smiling.

"We are," Cira nodded, "I'll try your chicken carbonara,"

"I will have your steak," Arthur said, handing back the menus as he gathered them from Cira.

"I can definitely get that for you." The waiter replied. "And for drinks this evening?"

"What would you suggest?" Cira asked.

"We recently imported some wine from Demacia, though our Ionian and Piltovan stock is also worth sampling." He said.

"Not much of a wine drinker but I say we try for the first time," Arthur suggested.

"Victoria says the Demacian wine they have is very good," Leona hummed, "let's try that,"

Pantheon nodded.

"We will have the Demacian wine, please,"

"Alright then." The waiter finished scribbling across his notepad. "I'll be back with your meal shortly, then."

He turned and left, disappearing through the kitchen door.

Cira and Arthur, resuming their conversation, failed to notice the sinister grin spreading across his face.

"They have no idea." He said, upon entering the kitchen.

"Good." Helios said, leaning against the wall. The chefs paid them no mind, though they were all aware of what they needed to do. "Nicely done, Evaine."

The waiter's form shimmered, revealing the Deceiver in his place.

Her eyes shimmered to a dark black brown as her Chosen gave a wry grin.

"I love these two to death, but they needed a little trick pulled on them," Ana Testarosa chuckled, "glad we could help,"

"You've made sure that the rest of the staff know not to interfere, right?" He asked Fiora.

"Of course," she snorted, "Zey know me and my family, one of my nephews is interning 'ere as 'e wanted to learn a new skill. My brother was tempted to send 'im to Pantheon before the Curse...but 'ere is a good place as well."

"Excellent." He said. "What'd they order?"

"Cira ordered the carbonara, Arthur the steak and both are trying the demacian wine," Ana reported.

"Huh, zis will be interesting…" Victoria hummed, "I 'ave never seen zem drink. I wonder how well zey can 'old their liquor,"

"I guess we'll find out." He grinned. He glanced over at Ahri, who was inspecting a nail while she leaned against a vacant counter. "Think you can work your magic on that stuff okay?"

She smirked. "Of course I can." The fox stood up properly before looking at the others. "Just prepare the wine and I'll do the rest."

"Remi!" Fiora called as a young man of about fifteen or sixteen came up, "You know what to do, oui?"

Remi gave a nod as he went to prepare the two Chosens' meal.

"At least he knows what he's doing," LeBlanc stated, getting a proud smile from Fiora.

"My nephew is the best apprentice they 'ave right now," She preened, "'e is wanting to be a Summoner, but zis is a good place to start,"

"Then we're all set." Helios gleefully rubbed his hands together. "And the TV chefs think _their_ food's made with love."

"Tante Fiora, monsieur Helios, it's ready!" Remi smiled.

"Perfect." He replied. "Ahri, you know what to do."

She nodded as the food was brought out to the counter. She breathed in, then exhaled a cloud of thick pink mist, which settled over the steak and carbonara before vanishing. She moved over to the wine next, repeating the process once the bottle was uncorked.

"Better add some spices to the food, too." Helios advised. Ahri's charm magic was colorless once it took effect, but it had a distinct odor and taste when applied as a consumable aphrodisiac. "Anything you can recommend, Remi? It's gotta be strong enough to mask the effect."

"For Madame Leona, ze garlic in ze carbonara will cover it. For Monsieur Pantheon, I would say ze pepper and mixed spices would cover it. Zey are quite potent,"

"That should do." He said. "Ana, Evaine, you're up. I'd tell you not to give it away, but I don't think you'll have a problem with that."

"Never do," the Deceiver's Chosen grinned as she once more donned her disguise.

Ariel waved to them as they left before turning to Helios. "You ready?" She grinned.

"Oh, you _know it._ " He replied.

* * *

"Here you are." The waiter said, placing Cira and Arthur's food on the table. "Enjoy your meal!"

"It looks delicious, thank you," Cira smiled.

The waiter bowed, smiling, before leaving to tend to the other customers.

Cira took a bite, giving a hum of delight as she swallowed.

"This is good...I haven't had good Italian food in _ages_ ," she sighed wistfully.

"Same," Arthur agreed, "They've got this perfectly seasoned. Might have to see if we can get the recipe...so we can try this at home. Well...not _me_ obviously, but you and Panth,"

Cira nodded, diving back into her food. She'd made an understatement when she complimented the taste. It might've been the best chicken carbonara she'd had since, well... _ever._ The smell was wonderfully enticing, and the taste was simply _addicting._ She couldn't get enough of it.

Arthur appeared to share the same sentiment about his own dish.

It happened slowly at first, the aphrodisiac taking hold little by little, nibble by nibble. Both of them only began to notice when they started on the wine, but they brushed it off and attributed it to the alcohol. Both of them were starting to feel a little tipsy, Cira giving her husband an awkward smile as she glanced up from her food, which he reciprocated.

He kept looking at her for a while and she finally spoke up.

"What are you looking at?" she asked.

"Something pretty," he replied.

She giggled. That surprised her, to some extent. She didn't _giggle-_ she wasn't some lovesick schoolgirl with a crush. But the aphrodisiac whispered sweet nothings in her ear, lulling her thoughts into a dreamy haze. It urged her forget thinking; she needed to act, to _do._ It would only be appropriate to return his advances, the aphrodisiac reasoned. She loved him, right?

One eye flared gold as balance was struck between the two souls of the Radiant Dawn. She got up and slid into the chair next to her husband, leaning her head on his chest. He got closer to her, drawing her into a warm embrace. A low, rumbling purring sound emitting from the Project as her projector sputtered and she cuddled closer to him. He tipped her head upwards and drew her into a long kiss. Her projector completely failed, her circuits blazing almost white-gold from happiness as she returned it, making his own glow shine.

She momentarily panicked at the realization, but the aphrodisiac was having none of it. Forget about who's watching, it reasoned.

"Mine," came the low growl from her husband as his hand touched the finial at the side of her helm, making her nearly fall limp from the feeling of pleasure that ran through her system.

"Always," she breathed, breathless from the touch as he reached to the nape of her neck and found a small latch that would disengage the seal on her armor.

Wait, the aphrodisiac cautioned. Do _this_ first.

And suddenly, Cira had forced Arthur onto the table, knocking the food and wine off the side. The other customers stopped, looking up from their meals to witness the osculating session.

"Oh my _gods._ " Helios stared from the kitchen door's window. "What the hell did you _do,_ Ahri? I didn't think it would work _this_ well."

"I just did as you said," the woman announced, covering half of her face with a hand. "Did I use too much….?"

"Are you _kidding?_ " He exclaimed. "This is _GREAT._ Just means I have to get a move on faster, is all. You guys can watch if you want. It's my time to shine!"

It took them a minute to process the joke. They groaned. Except for Ahri. She...actually _snickered,_ though an eyeroll accompanied it.

 _Huh._ He thought, as he exited the kitchen (Cira and Arthur were preoccupied anyways). _How about that._

Outside, the customers were in stunned silence. What was there to say? Two champions were currently making out on their table. There really was no reaction to that. Shock, horror, disgust and, to some extent, amusement were all running through their heads. Many of them were already pulling their phones out. This was going to the higher-ups, without a doubt.

But Cira didn't care. She wanted Arthur _now._

The lights suddenly dimmed.

Two spotlights shone down from the ceiling, one on Cira and Arthur, the other on Helios, who had just taken to the stage. The musicians were all still onstage, but this time Helios was the one at the microphone.

The audience fell silent, distracted from their disapproving chatter.

He nodded at the pianist.

He cleared his throat.

The pianist started playing a soft, mellow tune, and then Helios began to sing.

" _Can you see what's happening…_ " He sang. " _Right before your eyes…_ "

" _She's taking him there on the table…_ " He pointed at them. " _Fueled by the heat deep down inside…_ "

" _I really want to go on about…_ " He continued. " _How she's gonna shriek and shout…_ "

" _BUT THIS FIC IS RATED T!_ " He got to his knees, the volume of his voice rising until it was almost a scream. " _SO MY STATEMENT HAS TO BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-_ "

The music crescendoed, rising up to its climax- ...its peak. The music crescendoed to its peak volume, power chords ripping through the air.

" ** _THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY ARE GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNA POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORK TONIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!_** " He sang. " ** _THEY'RE SO GOOOO-NNAAAAAAAAAAA POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORK!_** "

" ** _SHE'S EATING HIM OUT, AND HE'LL SOON RETURN THE FAVOR, 'CAUSE THEEEEEEEEEEEEY AAAAAAAAARE GOOOOOOOOOOONNA POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORK!_** "

The music ended, and Helios dropped the mic, panting.

The audience stared.

And then they stood up from their chairs and erupted into tumultuous applause, giving Helios a standing ovation.

" _THANK YOU!_ " He yelled, pumping his fists out as he stood. " _THANK YOU! YOU'VE ALL BEEN A BIG HELP WITH OUR PERFORMANCE TONIGHT, EVEN IF IT WAS JUST TO BEAR WITNESS! I'LL SEE YOU NEXT PRANK!_ "

Ahri, Fiora and LeBlanc all came up to stand beside him. They grasped each others' hands and took a bow, reveling in the success of their scheme.

"Five…" Helios muttered. "Four…three…two…"

At that moment, as planned, the aphrodisiac finally wore off.

 _"Cira...what are you..._ we… _doing?"_

Cira's eyes shot open and she gave a sound never uttered by her before. The mortified Chosen got up, projector sputtering back on as her cheeks flared burning scarlet before she hid her face in her hands in embarrassment. Arthur blinked slowly as it wore off on him as well.

"What just happened…" he asked dazedly.

Cira didn't give an answer, just hid in her hands again...her face rivalling her hair in its color.

" ** _HOW DOES IT FEEL TO EXPERIENCE SWEET REVENGE, CIRA?!_** " Helios asked, practically choking. " ** _AND YOU THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO TAKE MY PUNISHMENT LYING DOWN!_** "

A low, rumbling, electronic growl wove through the air, the room warming to an uncomfortable level as Cira finally looked up...and _boy_ did she look mad.

" _You…_ " She seethed.

"And that's our cue to run like hell!" Helios grinned. "Split up, guys. They can only catch two of us."

All four of them bolted, shoving out the door. They split off in separate directions, disappearing into the markets.

"He's _mine_ ," the Solari growled, bolting after Helios with a speed that wasn't humanly possible.

" _Cira_!" Arthur called, giving chase but being hopelessly outstripped.

He sighed, giving chase to one of the others instead.

* * *

Out of them all, Pantheon was only able to catch Ahri. Leblanc kept juking him and laughing as she did, Fiora was a Project and quickly outran him in a flicker of gunmetal grey and vibrant pink...Ahri just had her three dashes, which she _did_ use in good moments, but he still managed to track her down. He was currently waiting with Ahri in the alley next to the restaurant.

Ahri huffed before putting Ariel in control, clearly not wanting to deal with the consequences of their prank. "I uh… plead the fifth?" The way she phrased it sounded more like a question than anything else.

"That does not exist here, you know that," he stated, "You are lucky I am the one that caught you and not Leona,"

"Thanks a lot Ahri," she muttered under her breath. The girl sighed and let her head hang. "Cira… is going to be mad, huh?"

"That is an understatement,"

Ariel groaned, "Helios why have you abandoned us now?"

"I do not think he was abandoning you, he was making Leona chase him so she would not go after you,"

Her tails twitched, "I was joking, Panth."

"I'm still working on that with him," Arthur apologized, "I'm still getting back into the swing of things. Sorry, Ariel...especially about grabbing you by the scruff back there,"

"Eh, you had to, I probably would have gotten away otherwise." She looked around for a moment. "Could you let me go though? I won't run again and you'll just catch me if I do."

He released her wrist...right as a flicker of red and gold caught his eye.

"Oh, she's back,"

Ariel tensed and looked to her feet, refusing to look up at the first Chosen.

Leona almost seemed to prowl closer. Anger still radiated from her in waves, but she seemed a little calmer.

"The run do you good?" Arthur asked.

The blue and gold eyes closed for a moment as she took in a deep, calming breath.

"I'm still angry," she grumbled, "He's not getting away with it,"

"I figured,"

She reopened her blue eyes and looked at Ariel.

"What did he promise you if you helped him?" she asked.

"Uhm… Fun?" she mumbled, the cringe obvious in her voice.

The Radiant Dawn's face turned unamused.

"Did you _have_ fun?" she questioned.

The girl went quiet, toeing the ground anxiously.

"Ahri, Ariel, answer me, please," Cira told her, almost gently, "I want to know,"

The girl's eyes flashed gold as she slowly looked up "Mhm."

The Solari gave a nod.

"If there's one thing he does, its make good on his promises," she hummed, "Ariel, I want you to promise me something,"

Her eyes returned to normal, a pale blue. "Yes?"

" _Never_. Do that. To me and my husband. _Again_ ," came the low, metallic growl as the projector flickered, "If you do...it won't be Pantheon who finds you. It will be _me_ ,"

"I suggest you agree," Arthur said slowly.

She nodded. "I won't."

"The other thing...you are _not_ to tell Helios what I am going to do," Leona told her, " _Either of you_. It's night so he won't be able to hear me,"

She nodded once more.

"Arthur, we need to get Krista," Cira told her husband, "I think some good old fashioned _revenge_ is in order,"

Ariel managed a smile, but her ears folded, "You still mad, Cira?"

The cold, unamused look spoke volumes.

"Mine and my husband's romantic life is _private_ for a _reason_ ," she growled, "Helios stepped over the line. He started this... _I'm finishing this,"_

 **Annnnd here comes the prank war...Leona is _not_ going to take this sitting down.**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)  
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)**

 **Pantheon-Arthur Jonson**

 **Lucian- Jonathan Cross Jr. (Senna-Sienna Cross)**

 **Fiora- Victoria Meraux**

 **Zoe- Vesper Jonson**

 **Annie-Emilia Naethos**

 **Xayah- Kristen L'Amour**

 **Rakan-Fabien L'Amour**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye (Diamond)**

 **Kalista-Krista Rhon**

 **Ahri-Ariel Royal**

 **Camille-Vivian Vauclain**

 **LeBlanc-Ana Testarosa**

 **Braum-Piotr Kozlov**

 ** _Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)_**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 **Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)**

 **Leona-Janie Noble**

 _ **...And then there are**_ ** _Helios and Selene._**

 **Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!**

 **Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

 **Máriessë ar mára tecië**

 **Farewell and fair writing**

 **Elhini Prime signing off.**


	6. Chapter 6

**So, sorry for the lateness. We all kinda got carried away. Um, 16K words mean anything? Yeah...so...I kinda decided I'm chopping it in half. This is the aftermath of the prank... _someone_ is not going to take this laying down.**

Chapter VI

Helios had wisely chosen to ask Andrew for a room of his own at the Institute. He didn't trust Cira not to pull anything while he slept in the temple. It was nothing special when he first entered, but with a bit of renovation and some redecorating, it fit his tastes.

He'd then been awakened by a high-pitched scream. He'd eaten breakfast and gotten dressed (gods didn't need to brush their teeth) in the span of two seconds, zipping down the hall in a simple red t-shirt and a pair of dark grey cargo pants. The scream had been coming from Ahri's room.

He kicked down the door, bursting into the room. "Ahri, what's wrong?!" He asked. "Are you okay?! I-"

He saw what she was so worked up about.

He deadpanned. "Cira visited you in your sleep, I see."

Ahri's face had clown makeup plastered all over it. Pale skin, exaggerated bags under the eyes and bulbous red lips made up the ensemble. It was genuinely creepy to look at, which was especially insulting for a champion known for her beauty.

Helios felt a twang of guilt in his chest. If he hadn't convinced her to help him with his prank, this wouldn't have happened. He'd have to make it up to her somehow.

She managed a slight nod as she continued frantically looking through the room, seemingly trying to find something. "Where's my makeup…."

"Knowing her, probably not in your room." He replied, helping her rummage through her drawers and closet.

The champion sighed before flopping on her bed. "Nah leafin' thin." She said, her voice muffled by the blankets.

He chuckled, moving to sit beside her. "Here. Let me see."

Ahri slowly sat up, ears folded against her head. Her face remained downcast as well.

He gently cupped her chin, turning her face from side to side as he examined the clown makeup that had been applied. "Huh. It's the same stuff I used on Ornn a few decades ago." He winced, pulling his hand away. "It's gonna take at least three days to get off, I'm afraid."

"I'll just stay in here then," she huffed, curling several tails around herself.

Her eyes flashed blue, "We'll go hungry before that plan works," Ariel murmured.

"Hm…." Helios scratched his chin thoughtfully. A lightbulb went off a few moments later.

"Wait for a bit. I'll be right back." He said. The opportunity for repayment had come sooner than he thought.

He zipped out of the room, then instantly returned with a gigantic pile of microwavable food. He zipped out once more, returning with a pile of movies, games and drinks.

"Found these in the storage room." He said, leaning against the ensemble. "Should be enough to last you three days. Then I can just return what's left of it."

She blinked, then hugged him. "THANK YOU!" She nearly screamed.

"It's nothing." He replied, putting one arm around her. "I roped you into this, after all. It's only right that I help you out in return."

She offered him a smile before pulling some blankets over herself. "You should probably head out, not that I don't mind your company. Cira might think we're conspiring again."

"That would probably be wise." He agreed. "I'll see you later, then."

"See ya, Helios," Ariel waved.

He waved back, heading out the door.

He paused.

 _Wait._ He thought. _If Cira got revenge on Ahri, then that means-_

He ran off to the Demacian wing as quickly as he could.

He knocked on Fiora's door.

"Fiora?" He asked. "You awake?"

The door opened and the Demacian noble's slim form greeted him. Her characteristic red streak was now ivory as her scarlet gaze looked him over. Her Nightraven skin, rather than 'classic'. She...did not look happy.

"She got you too, didn't she?" Helios said.

She gave him an annoyed look that screamed "what do you think?!"

"Come on, what'd she do?" He asked. "Ahri got clown makeup on her face, so I doubt it's any worse."

A violent shake of her head as Fiora crossed her arms, a metallic growl rising from her chest.

"I think. It. Can," came the ticked off, terse reply.

Helios's eyes lit up.

"I stand corrected." He said, beginning to laugh.

Fiora's voicebox had been tampered with, causing her voice to rise in pitch until it sounded like she'd inhaled helium. The accent remained, which made it all the more hilarious.

Her form gave a flicker and her hand twitched before her Chosen took control.

"It's not funny…" Victoria huffed.

" _Oh,_ I think it most certainly is." He replied, snickering.

"Shut _up_!" Victoria snapped, her voice pitching even _higher_ , "Zis is _your_ fault she did zis to us! If it wasn't for _your_ prank I wouldn't be sounding like a Munchkin on helium!"

"What, you think you're going to go unavenged?" He asked. It was getting harder and harder to keep a straight face. "It's not like I'm not going to retaliate."

"Cira doesn't start things...she finishes them," Victoria warned, "I'm staying out of zis war. I'm glad she gave me a timer on how long zis was going to _stay_. She was nice enough to do that. I don't know what she's going to do to LeBlanc and Ana though…"

"Oof." He grimaced. "Wonder how she's going to get revenge on _those_ two."

The Grand Duelist shrugged, obviously not wanting to speak because of Cira's Revenge.

"I'll go check on her, then." He said, waving goodbye once more as he sped off to Ana's room.

 _How does one play a trick on the Institute's number-one trickster, anyways?_ He thought. On his way, he couldn't help but notice several champions and Summoners reading from some sort of...book? All of them were snickering, which couldn't mean anything good.

He heard the shrieking even before he'd reached the door.

"Just a shot in the dark here." He said, opening it. "Clown makeup?"

" _Worse_!" Ana wailed, hurling today's copy of the Journal at him.

He turned the pages, eyes widening as he realized what it was.

"She published pages of your diary?" He asked.

"YES!" LeBlanc snapped, "I don't know _how_ she found it but she _did_! This is _horrible_! There's a reason it was priva-"

She stopped, eyes narrowing.

"Oh that was low for her…" she growled, "leave it to the _teacher_ to give a lesson,"

"I'll admit, this is pretty below the belt." He said, flipping through the pages. "Dare I say it, I'm impressed."

Ana huffed, crossing her arms as she sat down on her bed.

"This isn't fair," she growled, "All I did was give them the food. That's it! _You_ were the one who humiliated her,"

"And it was worth it." He smirked. "I'll see what I can do about the diary. Consider your work done."

He huffed, stepping out the door.

He turned to those who had the copies of the diary in their hands.

 _I_ could _give them a warning, but where's the fun in that?_ He thought.

He snapped his fingers.

The books spontaneously combusted, burning up in their hands. All of them yelped, dropping their newly acquired piles of ash.

"Shame, those took a few hours to make," came a female voice from behind him, "But oh well. I just wanted to teach her that private things should stay private. Dark secrets, crushes... _romantic lives_ …I'd say she learned that now,"

He grinned, turning around to face her. "Aww, you're not still mad about _that,_ are you?" He laughed. "I gotta say, you did good with your payback. Not the best, but definitely entertaining."

"Oh, you think I'm done, do you?" the blue and gold eyed Radiant Dawn asked, "Oh no, I believe there was a fourth on that little prank of yours. And since you're not yelling at me or telling me what you thought of it? Well...that just means you haven't found it yet,"

"Don't keep me waiting, now." His grin turned feral. "I'd better be impressed with what I see."

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Leona said, "Just know I don't forget. And I _finish_ things,"

"Oooh, now I'm excited." He replied. "I guess I'll just have to see for myself, then."

And would he ever.

* * *

Some would say that returning to Mount Targon wasn't the wisest thing Helios had done, but others would argue that it would be less fun if he hadn't. The looming 'threat' of Cira's prank on him was just too interesting to ignore.

"Helloooooooo?" Helios opened the door to the kitchen. "I smelled food."

As a god, Helios's senses had been cranked up to eleven. He could hear things on the other side of the planet, if he so wished. The same idea extended to smell, too. He'd caught one whiff of Cira's cooking and promptly hightailed it over to the peak.

"Hi!" came Artemis' cheerful wave as she stood on her tiptoes to grab a tray of what looked to be carmel apples, "I made candy apples Mister Helios! What you think?"

His nostrils flared.

"That depends. Is there enough left for me?" He asked.

"Here!" Artemis chirped, handing one to him, "Made it for you!"

"Thanks!" He grinned.

In hindsight, he should've expected it to happen, but Artemis was too innocent for him to suspect anything.

He took a bite, teeth sinking through the sweet layer of candy.

And his mouth was instantly met with the most revolting taste he'd experienced in a while.

He instantly jolted backwards, cupping his mouth as he involuntarily swallowed what was not a candy apple but a candy _onion._

He coughed and sputtered as it went down his throat. He felt like he was going to vomit any second.

"I thought you said you made _candy apples!_ " Helios said, thumping his chest as he gagged.

"But...they are!" Artemis sputtered, taking another one and took a bite, showing him, "See!"

Helios leaned in to take a closer look. Sure enough, it was a genuine apple underneath.

"So that means-" He deadpanned. "Did your mom stop by earlier, by any chance?"

"Mama had to dip them," she admitted, "I'm not allowed to touch the fire,"

"She must've known which one I was going to eat, then." He replied. "I'll admit, that was a good one."

And then, to Artemis's amazement...he took another bite of the onion.

He chewed it slowly, carefully, almost like he was afraid it was going to hurt him somehow. Cira's daughter couldn't help but watch in morbid fascination.

"...Huh." He said, after swallowing. "It's actually not that bad, if you can separate the candy and the onion and swallow them individually."

He shrugged. "Guess this'll do for a snack."

Eventually, he'd picked it clean.

Artemis shuddered.

"Ewwww," she whined.

"It was either that or give your mom the satisfaction of a completely successful prank." He replied. "My pride's pretty firm on what I'm expected to do in that sort of situation."

"Oh," Artemis blinked, "But why is Mama pranking you?"

He sweatdropped.

"Uh...Ahri, Fiora, Evaine and I might've pranked her and your dad." He said. "Please do me a favor and don't ask about it. You really don't want to know."

"No, Sunshine, you don't," came her mother's voice, "It'll give you a headache and blackout...remember how Torin gets?"

"Oh…" she blinked, seeming to process it before breaking out into a bright smile, "Kay Mama!"

"You must feel _ever-so-proud_ of yourself right now." Helios said, folding his arms as Cira walked into the kitchen. "Looking to one-up me, are you?"

"Oh I feel _very_ proud of myself. But I'm not finished. You were the grandmaster here, for that prank," Cira grinned, "It wasn't just _me_ you embarrassed, you embarrassed Leona too. We're not finished. And I have a feeling, that you're the same way,"

He chuckled. "I hope you know what you're asking for, Leona. Do you really want to go to war with _me?_ "

Back at the Institute, every single divine champion shuddered simultaneously.

"Who said anything about War? I'm just saying I've got at least one left. If you retaliate then oh yeah it's on,"

" _Oh,_ you'd better _believe_ that this isn't over." He replied. "You'd better bring your A-game, Cira, because I am going to _annihilate_ you."

"You started this, so alright. _Bring it on Mister Sunny Sunshine_ ,"

" ** _NO!_** " A chorus of voices shouted, somehow audible from several hundred miles away.

They both blinked.

"Like I said, I don't start things, I finish them," she repeated, " _Helios_ started this...I'm not just going to sit here and take it. Neither me nor Leona will,"

"It's not really that part they're worried about." He replied. "They just remember the _last_ time somebody challenged me to a prank war."

Even Ornn was unable to suppress the flashbacks.

"I've already been embarrassed and the rest of the Institute is _not_ going to let me forget it, so what else do I have to lose,"

"Uh...you _sure_ you want to ask that question now?" Helios asked, wincing. "You'd be surprised."

"We'll see,"

He shrugged, almost looking disappointed. "Alright. If you really want to do this."

"I don't, but if you continue, I'll fire right back,"

"So be it." He said. "May the best prankster win."

"Now, where's the _actual_ food?" He asked. He spotted a jar full of M&M's on the counter, digging into it with earnest.

It was then that he discovered Cira had mixed Reese's Pieces and Skittles in.

Oh, she was **so** going to pay later.

* * *

Three days had passed, and after experiencing a nasty encounter with a box of jelly donuts filled with mayonnaise, Helios felt that it was time to check on Ahri. The clown makeup was most likely gone, which meant that he could finally repay her in full for agreeing to go along with his scheme. The heavy load of supplies was only the start.

"Ahri?" He poked his head through her door. "You in here?"

"I'm here," she responded, peeking her makeup-free face out of the blankets before sitting up. "Oh, hi Helios."

"Finally got that crap off your face, I see." He replied. "How long has it been off?"

"To be honest? Only a few minutes." she let out a huff. "Cira definitely didn't go light with my punishment."

"The stuff I found did the trick, right?" He asked. "No need to start eating your own clothes or anything?"

Jokingly, the nine tailed fox began nibbling at the blankets she was wrapped in before sputtering and coughing. "Ew! Hell no. I'm glad I didn't have to eat that."

He chuckled. "Not enough salt?"

"I'd need a bronze player for the amount of salt these sheets need."

"Well, while I unfortunately can't offer seasoning for an unsavory meal, I _can_ offer you something else." He gestured to the door. "Come with me and we can buy _all_ the things."

Ahri's ears twitched as she crawled out of bed. " _All_ of the things?"

His eyes narrowed.

"Every. _Last. **One.**_ "

She ran to the door grabbing his arm. "Let's go."

"Hold your horses." He replied. "We still have to get some cash first. As you might remember, I don't get a salary like you guys."

She paused. "Oh, right," she looked around for a moment before grabbing a bag. "Okay."

"Oh, there's no need for that." He placed a hand on her arm as she picked it up. "I already know how we can get some money."

"Is this… illegal?" Her tails stood stock still as she stared at him.

"Not at all." He replied. "I just need Lee Sin, Camille and a single game of Monopoly."

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm intrigued."

"Oh, just wait until I get started." He replied. "It'll be even better."

* * *

" _FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!_ " The Summoners chanted.

Camille kneed Lee Sin in the face, drawing a nosebleed. She was given a roundhouse kick to the ribs in reply, but she was able to shrug off the blow. She tackled him to the ground, and the two began exchanging blows as they rolled around on the floor of the Institute's main atrium.

"Place your bets right here, boys and girls!" Helios called from the booth he'd set up. "Only a minimum of fifty gold coins is accepted!"

It was common knowledge that a single game of Monopoly could potentially ruin friendships forever. Yet no matter how destructive it could be, it was far too addicting to resist.

And thus, this was why Helios had selected Camille and Lee Sin as candidates.

Who didn't want to see a Leg Fight?

"You _do_ realize that she's going to win, right?" came the slightly amused laugh from Krista as she leaned on a spear, "Delta training beats standard martial arts any day. Plus she's had sparring bouts with Demetrius since she got back to the states,"

"I know. But people are still making bets on Lee." He replied. "I'm profiting regardless of where this fight goes."

"Then they're all going to be very poor by the end of the day," Krista deadpanned, grinning in savage satisfaction as her former commander continued to beat the Blind Monk, "Though...some people are gonna complain that this is totally unfair. Him being blind and all,"

"Considering what happened with Rakan and Xayah when they first met him, I wouldn't be so sure." He said. "If I recall correctly, he was the reason they started viewing humans in a more positive light, no?"

"Eh...honestly I think their Chosens really opened their eyes there," Krista shrugged, "Lee might have had them have some respect for humans...but Kristen and Fabien are the ones that made them warm up to humans more,"

"And thank gods that they did." He replied. "I was about ready to slap them both silly."

Another cluster of Summoners raced up to the booth. Helios had been using simple pans to hold the loot at the start, but they'd quickly started overflowing. He'd brought out sacks that were five feet high as a replacement, but even they were close to full.

"I give it less than a minute before he quits." He gestured to the melee. Camille was currently in the process of strangling him.

"I give it less," the Spear of Vengeance grinned, "I know my commander,"

"He looks like he's about to pass out." Helios noted. "Ten seconds, _tops._ "

Krista smirked, holding up a hand and beginning to tick down seconds.

 _Five. Four. Three. Two. One…_

 _THUD_.

Lee Sin fell to the floor, unconscious. Camille stood, dusting herself off. She'd barely even broken a sweat.

"WE HAVE A **_WINNER!_** " Helios announced. "Welp, for those who voted for Lee, sorry guys. Guess your money's going to the victors. And me, of course."

They all groaned as Helios split the winnings between himself and the Summoners who'd placed their bets on Camille. Eventually, the crowds dispersed, and the three were left to themselves.

"Placing bets on my fighting prowess is not very polite, Helios," Vivian deadpanned as Krista came up to inspect the unconscious Chao.

"C'mon, Viv, anyone who knows you know you'd win," Krista snorted, "Wow, you really knocked him out...he's going to have one nasty goose egg when he comes to…"

"Yeah, but it was worth it." Helios patted one of his sacks. "Now Ahri and I can go on a shopping spree!"

Only Vivian saw the sly, trollish grin from the other sniper as said Spear of Vengeance stood up.

"Don't you _dare_ ," Vivian hissed softly.

"What? I haven't done anything," Krista blinked.

"You know, I've got a _lot_ of cash in here." Helios said, checking inside the bag. "More than enough for several people, actually. I know that Camille and Vivian aren't interested, but what about you, Krista?"

"Nah, I'd just spend it on video games," Krista shrugged, "Give it to Chao...he's gonna have a _lot_ of doctor visits,"

"If you say so." He fished out a few coins, then sprinkled them on Chao's body. "This should be enough, right?"

"Eh probably," Krista stated, "I don't go to the doctor so…"

"You're _dead_ ," Vivian deadpanned.

"Exactly,"

"You should abuse your inability to die, you know." Helios said, grinning. "Just upload videos of you trying to kill yourself. You'll become an internet sensation with what you can survive."

Krista shifted uncomfortably and Vivian chuckled.

"Krista is extremely camera shy," the Steel Shadow smirked, "Might be from all those years being Delta, but who knows,"

"Meh." He frowned. "Welp, in that case, Ahri and I are off to the markets." He hummed, scratching his chin. "Might be able to pick up some more minions on the way too."

"Eh, I should go too...Cira said she wanted to talk to me," Krista started.

Helios narrowed his eyes.

Krista suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"If you're going to do what I _think_ you're going to do…"

"I don't know what she wants to talk to me about, just that she does," Krista reassured him.

"Oh, _please._ " He said. "What else could she want if not to wage war against me? Though, to be fair, I shouldn't have been expecting any less…"

"She's First Chosen and one of my closest, and only, friends. She likes to keep tabs on me to see how I'm doing. She's done that ever since I got Chosen and had _no_ memories whatsoever. Downside of being Kalista's Chosen. I have to constantly remember myself,"

"Mh."

"I might be the personification of Revenge, but _come on_ , no need to talk to me in Ornn grunts," Krista huffed, crossing her arms and almost _pouting_ like a child

" _Mhhhh._ "

"Fine," Krista deadpanned, turning to go through a column of mist, "see ya later!"

" ** _MMMMMMMMMMHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH._** "

Finally, Ariel walked up and just grabbed him. "What are you doing?" her blue eyes stared at him intently.

"She's _so_ going to help out with a prank." Helios said. "There's no way in hell she isn't."

"Krista? Probably." She let go of him with a huff. "She likes pranks in the first place and Cira wants revenge. Even better for the Spear of Vengeance."

He sighed. "I guess I'll just have to deal with that." He offered his arm to her with a smile. "Shall we get going? I'd hate to make you two wait longer than you have to."

She smiled, one eye blue, one gold. "Let's go."

Helios put two fingers in his mouth and sharply whistled.

A portal opened next to him, and Zoe's head popped out.

"Yeeeeessss?" Vesper asked.

"Mind holding on to those?" Helios gestured to the loot. "Just until we get down to the markets."

"Sure!" she chirped, grabbing the loot, "I'll see you there!"

And with that, she was gone.

"Right. Off we go then." He said, as Ahri looped her arm through his.

They were going to pick the entire market clean, if they had their way.

* * *

The markets were even more impressive than Helios thought. They took up an entire district of the city that surrounded the Institute of War, constituting an absolute maze of shops, booths and restaurants. A vast spectrum of cultures mixed within, offering goods from the Freljord to Shurima.

The two of them had decided to dress for the occasion, sporting casual outfits instead of their standard attire. Helios was dressed in a maroon short-sleeved flannel shirt with a golden-yellow t-shirt displaying the words " _Praise Me Heathens_ " underneath, complete with blue jeans and a pair of brown hiking boots. Ahri was wearing a red leather jacket with a white blouse, along with a pair of black shorts that barely went halfway down her thighs. She'd slipped on a pair of high heels of the same color to match. Helios had to admit, she was _rocking_ it.

"This is one hell of a melting pot." He whistled, as they wandered among the stalls. "Where do we even _start?_ "

Ahri hummed for a moment. "We could start in one region's area," she motioned to a collection of Shuriman goods, "then move to another after we've done everything we wanted to in that area."

"Sounds good." He replied. "Anywhere in particular you're looking to go first?"

Her tails curled as she thought. "Maybe the Ionian area. I remember seeing something I wanted last time I passed by."

"I've always wanted a katana." He said, grinning. "Ionia area it is."

They slowly but surely made their way to their destination, weaving their way through the cluster of stalls and stores. Occasionally something would catch their eye, and they'd stop to take a look. Helios took great amusement in the booths that sold charms and other supposedly divine trinkets. The Shuriman markets proved to be a bit more difficult than expected, however. Azir's subjects worshipped the sun almost as fervently as the Solari, and when any of the shopkeepers recognized him they had to make a quick getaway. There weren't any detours they could make, unfortunately. While the other regions offered considerably less chaotic scenes, they were farther away from the Ionian markets, and neither of them felt like making a two hour detour.

"I'm getting us segways next time." Helios said, frowning behind them as they _finally_ reached the Ionian market area.

The champion's eyes flashed blue as the nine tailed fox smiled. "That's sounds perfectly fine by me; haven't seen those since we were still on earth."

Helios's expression soured, putting his hands in his pockets as his mood dampened. "Right. The Barrier."

Ahri immediately noticed his change in demeanor.

"What's wrong?" she tilted her head as she moved slightly closer to him.

"Oh, y'know." He sighed. "Just...everything. Andrew hasn't given an update on how the Tribunal's handling things. I'm starting to get worried. And annoyed."

She gave a nod before looking ran off suddenly, disappearing into a crowd. After a few moments, she ran back, grinning before stuffing a dumpling in his mouth.

Helios blinked, startled. He chuckled, then started chewing. "Thanks." He said, after he'd swallowed. "I needed that."

She laughed. "Figured food might help." She held up a small plate containing several more of the food. She offered them to him before continuing.

"I'm sure Andrew is just busy. Maybe it's a huge issue and he as well as the Tribunal will get back soon."

"It better be." He grumbled. "Or else I'm going to get even crankier. And that's not going to be a good day for anybody."

" _IS THAT **AHRI?!**_ "

"The hell?"

Both of them turned to see a swarm of Ionian Summoners dashing towards them in a stampede, all of them male.

" _HOLY CRAP IT IS!"_

They blanched.

"Holy _SHI-_ " Helios was violently torn away from Ahri, his muffled cries fading under the tide of fanboys that enveloped him.

The crowd of fanboys all cried out as one, their voices melding within one another so that the clamor was unbearable. All of them were talking at once, so it was extremely hard to pick out what they were saying. Though, every once in a while, a "Marry me!" or "You're so gorgeous!" carried out over the clamour. However, of all of them, it was probably the lone voice that stated "Let's go to my place," that set Helios off.

Ahri squirmed around in the mob, in an attempt to get out of the mob, but it didn't do much.

" ** _GAH!_** " Helios exploded from the crowd, thrusting both arms in the air.

" ** _NOT LIKE THIS!_** " He yelled.

He grabbed the tunics of a few Summoners and hurled them aside, clearing a space in front of them. They didn't take kindly to his advance, swarming all over him in an attempt to halt his advance. His divine strength ensured that he was able to handle it, however.

He staggered over to Ahri, with more than a dozen Summoners plastered to him. "You might want to brace yourself." He said.

"Wait, what-" She only had two seconds to react before Helios grabbed her, tossing her sky-high. As an appropriate response, she started screaming on the way up.

"I'll give you guys - _ngh!_ \- one chance to scatter." He grunted, as more and more Summoners piled on top of him. "Don't make me put my foot down."

"What are you going to do?" one sneered as they kept piling on.

"Suit yourself." He replied.

He put his foot down.

He raised his foot, then smashed it into the ground. The ground exploded from under the sole, throwing debris and Summoners in all directions. The shopkeepers yelped, ducking for cover as bits and pieces of the street shredded their stalls.

When the dust cleared, most of the mob was unconscious, though a few stragglers audibly groaned from the crater Helios had created.

He held out his arms.

A still-screaming Ahri dropped right into them.

"Can we agree never to do that again," she asked, eyes wide.

"So long as you stop attracting a horde of fanboys." He replied. "Though I don't know if you can willingly stop being hot."

She laughed, one of her ears twitching. "Don't think it's possible for me to stop being me." She paused before taking in a deep breath. "But please, that was terrifying."

"Of course." He smirked, putting her down and dusting her off. "Just wear a paper bag over your head next time we go shopping and we'll be fine."

She stuck her tongue out at him teasingly before looking around. She'd apparently just realized the state of her entourage.

"Oh, yeah, that." He said. "They were a bit too stubborn for their own good. I disciplined them accordingly."

"I… see." she sighed. "I felt like I was trapped while surrounded, but I kinda feel bad that well, **that** had to happen to get them to stop. It was… somewhat deserved though, I think."

"Indeed it was." He said. "And, y'know, they're just unconscious, so it's not like I went too far or anything."

Ahri nodded. "I suppose we should get going before they wake back up? Or should we make sure they aren't hurt…?"

"Nah. They'll be fine. I went easy on 'em." He replied. "A few hours of rest is all they need."

She nodded. "Let's get going then, I suppose."

A loud commotion caught their attention. It was coming from the other side of the Ionian area, a large crowd gathering around...something.

"Hm?" Helios squinted, trying to get a better view. "What's that all about?" Whatever it was, people certainly were eager to see it.

"Is that… Xayah and Rakan?" Ahri asked quietly.

It was Rakan at least, the golden vastaya was performing on a little stage, wowing the crowd with magic tricks and some dance moves. The darker form beside him, however, was far too small to be Xayah. It was a little girl. Her feathers were a brilliant violet color rimmed with an even brighter scarlet. Her bright blue eyes sparkled in absolute joy as she danced around the older vastaya, all the while strumming a tiny guitar-like instrument as she giggled. In the corner, or rather in the shadows, was Xayah, holding a small, dusky-gold feathered boy toddler, watching with a small smile.

"This oughta be good." Helios smiled, as he and Ahri made it to the back of the crowd.

"Riya! Come here!" Rakan called and the little girl skipped up to him, looking up at him with wide blue eyes, "Have you seen that pretty flower I told you to keep a hold of?"

The little girl's face fell and she scuffed the stage with her foot, digging little furrows into the wood with her talons.

"Sorry Papa," she apologized, "I had it in my pocket like you told me to but…"

"I don't think you heard me," her father hummed, placing a hand behind her ear, "Because you had it in your ear!"

He drew his hand back and revealed with a flourish a lovely red rose that glimmered with golden specks of light. The crowd gasped in awe as Riya giggled and Rakan gave the flower back, tucking it right in her long crimson hair.

Helios chuckled. "I've probably seen that trick millions of times in my lifetime, but the audience loves it every time."

"Riya, play a song for them," a now dark-eyed Rakan smiled, "Let's send them off with a dance in their step and a song in their heart, _sí_?"

" _Sí_ Papa!" Riya chirped as she began to strum on her guitar and her father started to sing in an old, flowing language that lifted the spirits, and feet, of those around them.

Magic was for certain in that music as their hearts whispered 'Go on! Dance! Have fun! Let your worries go away!'.

"I've always admired the crazy things vastayans can do with their magic." Helios said. He shot a sidelong glance at Ahri, grinning. "I guess that's part of the reason why I like your charm magic so much. ...Well, that and how useful it can be for pulling pranks."

She laughed. "I suppose it was instrumental in our little prank." She paused then huffed. "I still need to get more makeup."

"I'll see what I can do after this." He said, returning his attention to the performance. "For now, let's enjoy ourselves and see where this goes."

Rakan whispered something in the little girl's ear and Riya gave an almost sly grin. Her fingers flew over the strings of her guitar and the crowd for some reason started to dance away, soon leaving just Helios, Ahri, Rakan and his daughter near the stage.

"Well done _Iminha_!" Rakan praised, picking up the little girl and tossing her playfully in the air before catching her and nuzzling her nose, making her squeal happily, "I swear you're going to be better than me!"

Riya shook her head.

"No?" Rakan blinked.

"Papa's the best!" she chirped.

"And you know it!" he laughed, hugging her again as Xayah and the little toddler came out of the shadows now that the crowd was gone, "What did you think, _miella_?"

"Flashy, as per usual, _mieli_ ," Xayah replied as the golden vastaya came to the toddler and tickled him under his chin.

Helios walked up to them, clapping slowly. "While I didn't get to see as much as I'd like, that was quite a show. Nicely done, you two."

"Thank you!" Riya beamed.

"Glad you enjoyed it," Rakan agreed, "Riya is quite the little show woman,"

"I figured." He replied. "Already playing a guitar at the age of five. Pretty impressive, and that's a high compliment coming from me."

"She takes after her father," not Xayah, but Kristen replied, "Doesn't matter what instrument it is...she picks it up and just goes. Not too much of a dancer she told me though,"

Riya shook her head in agreement.

"I play. Papa and Afi dance," she said, "I just trip,"

"Having talons for feet will do that to you." He agreed.

"She kicks hard though," Rakan chuckled, fluffing Riya's feathers on her head, "Like her Mama, leaves some nasty scars. I think I learned that the hard way when she was a baby,"

"At least Afi doesn't kick," Xayah countered, shifting the little boy's weight in her arms.

"He bites, if I recall correctly." Helios smirked.

"More like nibbles!" Kristen protested.

"HA!" Fabien snorted, holding up his hand which had faint marks on it, "I wouldn't give him chocolate and he got mad! He is _your_ son, love,"

" _Ours_ ,"

"Before sundown he is...I wonder if you have some _bat_ in your bloodline because of how nocturnal he is,"

"So? Night time is best time," the violet vastaya huffed.

"Now **_KISS._** " Helios said.

"You need to tell us to do that?" Fabien asked with a devilish grin as he swung his wife into a kiss.

"Ewww," Riya frowned.

"No!" Afi cried, giving a smack on his father's chest.

"Yes." Helios said. "Do it again."

"NO!" The kids screeched, feathers puffing out comically.

"I think we've traumatized these two enough for today," Fabien chuckled.

"True. Besides, there's plenty of time for getting mushy once you're in a more... _private_ setting." He winked. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"As long as you don't have _her_ use her charm magic…" Kristen deadpanned, crossing her arms the best she could with Afi.

" _Everyone_ heard about what happened," Fabien agreed.

"It was worth it." He replied. "I mean, now I'm in a prank war with Cira, but still."

"If that's how you see it," Kristen shuddered, "I wouldn't want to be in a prank war with her...Krista is the other one I wouldn't want to mess with,"

"Oh, you think _they're_ bad?" Helios asked. "They're completely sane. I'm not." An evil grin spread across his face. "I prefer my pranks to be... _original._ "

His sinister expression deflated, replaced with an awkward smile. "Buuuuuuuut you don't need to know about that. You'll see for yourselves anyway."

He glanced behind them. The crowd had partially dispersed, though those remaining milled about in loose clusters around the courtyard.

"They look eager for more." He noted. "You planning on entertaining them all day?"

"Not for a while. Even Miss Hyper here needs to rest," Rakan grinned.

Riya smiled, smoothing down her fluffed feathers.

"Ahri and I were going to a bit of shopping after we finished watching you." Helios said. "You guys can come with, if you want."

"ME! ME!" Riya squealed.

He looked back at her parents.

"If that's alright with you." He said.

"Sure," Xayah shrugged.

"Really?" Helios raised an eyebrow. "Just like that? You don't want to come along to make sure she doesn't get lost or anything?"

"Who's to say we won't," came the reply as Xayah shifted her hold on her son.

"Just checking." He replied. "My track record with looking after kids isn't all that great."

"Oh you mean what happened with Leo's kids?" Came the question from the mother vastaya.

"What? No, that was fine." He said. "I mean-"

He stiffened.

He paused, mouth drawing into a thin line.

He sighed. "Never mind."

"We've got parental supervision so I think it'll be ok," Fabien smirked.

Only Ahri noticed the way he'd suddenly switched gears. She didn't say anything, though. She'd ask him about it later.

"Well. In that case." Helios looked up at the sky. " _HIT IT!_ "

The sound of a saxophone playing mixed with a dubstep beat materialized out of nowhere. It was an old song, but all too familiar.

Kristen shook her head in amusement as Fabien grabbed their daughter's hand and followed Helios and Ahri.

"Courtesy of the god of soundtracks." Helios explained. "There's a god for just about everything." He shuddered. "Even feeding, trolling and salt."

"I didn't know Krista was a goddess, since Trolling is a thing," Rakan smirked.

He shrugged. "The more you know."

He waved a finger around in the air. "Cue the montage!"

And oh, was it glorious.

* * *

Selene had been dealing with her brother's shenanigans for centuries. From the very moment she came into existence, she'd been exasperated with his schemes. From the spicy ramen incident to the rabid chicken incident, she'd put up with him through trial and tribulation.

She could only take so much, though. As soon as she'd gotten wind of Helios's prank at the restaurant, she'd asked Andrew for a room and holed herself up in there for days on end, only coming out when invited by the champions. She'd found companionship with the League's more prestigious and sophisticated elite, Elise and Cassiopeia among their number. At the moment, she was enjoying lunch in the Institute's food court, eating with Syndra, Camille and Evaine, along with the two previously mentioned.

She sighed contentedly, taking a bit out of a quiche she'd ordered. "I can't _begin_ to describe how much I need moments like these. It's nice to be able to relax on a regular basis for a change."

"I can imagine," Vivian smiled, stirring her tea with a spoon, "Ah, it's a pity we don't have Earl Grey here...but this is good,"

"At least you don't have to deal with children," Syndra's Chosen, Sylvia, deadpanned, "Well...one little girl and her father who still has _episodes_ ,"

"When Tracy comes back from Demacia, _that's_ when we have issues," Kaitlyn stated, smoothing her scales down, "But Gabriel makes it all better,"

"He's rather sweet, isn't he?" Selene smiled. "A pity that my brother most likely has plans for him."

"Seems that way," Cassiopeia sighed, wrapping her manicured hands around the teacup delicately.

"I have the distinct impression that I seem to frighten him," Camille smirked, "at least...at first,"

"You did." Selene took a sip of her wine. "I've been told that you don't frighten him as much since the incident with the paint, though he's still unlikely to want to engage you in combat anytime soon."

"My Chosen is former Delta Force. She quite formidable in her own right," Camille smirked, sipping her tea.

"Indeed." She replied. "Though Helios is a god, he wouldn't _dream_ of crossing the both of you." She chuckled. "He's quirky like that."

"He definitely seemed that way," Eva murmured, slowly tapping a foot on the ground. "Do you plan on stopping this prank war, or let it play out?"

"Good _gods,_ no." Selene shuddered. "The last time someone challenged Helios to a prank war, we gods acquired Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I have every intention of staying as far away from that as possible."

"And the rest of us will have it if it isn't stopped," Ana sighed, still scarred from Cira's revenge.

"It's a package deal, unfortunately." She sighed as well. "Making friends with my brother means you've signed on for absolute insanity." She brightened up a little, taking another bite. "But on the bright side, he's always been good about cleaning up after himself, and he can be trusted to refrain from doing anything spiteful. Whatever happens, it's bound to be as entertaining as it is maddening."

She hummed, turning to face Syndra. "Come to think of it, Helios probably has his sights set on your daughter, as well. I've been told by Braum that she rather enjoyed his company."

"Aiko is a friendly soul," Syndra explained, "Zed and I are afraid that people will use her trusting personality and her kindness and destroy her with it because she's our daughter. She'll be quite the mage I feel...maybe even an assassin. But, time will tell,"

"I doubt she'll come to any harm." Selene leaned back in her chair a little. "My brother's always been sympathetic towards you, even before you joined the League." She grinned. "He's even expressed a desire to see if you're a decent sparring partner."

"I'm always one for testing my limits," Syndra smiled, "I'm not as evil as a lot of people think. I just don't like being restrained. Which is why I barely handle being a member of the League. Though...if I hadn't said that I'd join, I probably never would have met Zed and I probably never would have had Aiko. And I am for _certain_ I never would have met Sylvia,"

"I'm just grateful that Irelia finally saw sense." She replied. "Helios was about ready to tear her a new one, consequences be damned."

"Come to think of it, there was a time when he had a vendetta against _you,_ as well." She told Elise. "Your, ah... _eating habits_ disturbed him greatly."

Eva sputtered a little, and Elise took over for her. "My Chosen has, well, helped me with that more than a bit. She found it repulsive herself, so I had to change my ways." She took a sip of her tea before continuing, "I do admit though that I don't mind some of the things that she makes." Eva took control back, giving a little huff.

"Believe me, we're both relieved that that's the case." Selene said. "I'd go into detail about how we didn't enjoy watching you eviscerate your victims, but I'd rather not lose my appetite."

She sighed, then smiled. "But, above all, you've reformed. As has Cassiopeia. And for my brother, that's good enough. It's one of the reasons why I love him dearly, even if he drives me mad most of the time. His heart is always in the right place, volatile as it may be." She fingered the edge of her glass. "It's hardly a wonder that lions are his sacred animals."

"Wonder if that is the reason your sister refers to Leona and Cira as 'Mother Lioness'," Vivian hummed, looking at Eva.

She shrugged. "Dianne is Dianne. She's played with Cira in the bot lane and knows how protective she can be. Also probably had something to do with Leona's name as well," Eva mused.

"Very true," came the agreement as Camille sipped her tea.

Selene suddenly groaned, massaging her temples.

"What's wrong?" Cassiopeia asked.

"I just got a splitting headache." She replied, burying her face in her arms upon the table. "Whenever that happens, it means Helios is up to something."

"Is that so surprising?" Syndra asked.

" _No._ " Selene groaned, her voice muffled.

 **Next we see some _fun_ stuff. well...fun for some people, not for others. Also, Projects have a 'default' skin for when they get mad. Leo's is her Project skin, Fifi here's Nightraven.**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)  
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)**

 **Pantheon-Arthur Jonson**

 **Fiora- Victoria Meraux**

 **Zoe- Vesper Jonson**

 **Xayah- Kristen L'Amour**

 **Rakan-Fabien L'Amour**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye (Diamond)**

 **Kalista-Krista Rhon**

 **Ahri-Ariel Royal**

 **Camille-Vivian Vauclain**

 **LeBlanc-Ana Testarosa**

 **Lee Sin- Chao Long**

 **Shyvana-Sonja Chadayev**

 ** _Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)_**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 **Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)**

 **Leona-Janie Noble**

 _ **...And then there are**_ ** _Helios and Selene._**

 **Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!**

 **Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

 **Máriessë ar mára tecië**

 **Farewell and fair writing**

 **Elhini Prime signing off.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Alright, so this is part two of the last chapter. Something happens in this one...and it's not necessarily _good._**

Chapter VII

"I really appreciate you helping me," Sonja started as she and her three companions walked through the marketplace.

"It's not a problem, really," Janie smiled to the half-dragon. "It's not like we have much else to do, plus it would be kind of hard to plan for this all by yourself."

Dianne yawned, "I could be-"

"Sleep is for the weak," Janie snickered, causing Arthur to nudge her.

"Be nice."

"But sleepyhead death!" The chosen of the sun announced, as if it was the solution to any question.

"I guess that's something both our worlds have in common," Sonja chuckled, "Death is always sleepy,"

"I mean I have to run around everywhere, not to mention I am my Earth's first Chosen." Dianne huffed. "Anyways, what are we trying to get our hands on first?"

Wolf swirled around the girl before resting on her shoulder. He sniffed the air and let out a quiet whine. " **Fooooood**."

"It _is_ around lunch time," came the Half Dragon's reply, "I don't see why we shouldn't get something to eat. Any place you feel like going in particular?"

Arthur shrugged. "We can head to a place you like. The four of us aren't too picky."

"Excuse you," Janie huffed.

"Ignore her," Dianne chirped.

"There's a nice little cafe that serves some food from Earth, Chosens like to frequent it because it's just like home," Sonja suggested.

"Sounds fine by me," Dianne smiled, looking to her companions. Janie looked away, but nodded.

"I'm fine with that as well," Arthur said in agreement.

"You ok, Janie?" Shyvana asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she announced before jabbing Dianne lightly with an elbow.

"They bicker a bit every once in a while," Arthur explained. "They'll be right as rain in a few minutes."

"Some things...never change," Shyvana chuckled, "Cira and Dianne do that too. It might be something with Leona and Kindred then,"

Arthur hesitated for a moment before replying. "It could be something with the Noble Family and Dianne," he offered a small laugh.

"That too, but don't let her hear you say that," came the grin, "Something tells me she's even fiercer than her sister,"

Janie smiled. "We could test that theory at some point."

"Cira might take you up on a spar," Shyvana stated, "After seeing Vi and Violet challenge everyone in the Institute to a fight after she became a Project and then watching as Cira laid her flat on her back...I'm not the one going to test that,"

She laughed. "I'm up to it still, even if it is a beatdown. I'm certain it will be fun."

"Oh I don't doubt that," Sonja deadpanned as she waved a waiter over, "There's five of us, may we have a seat?"

"Of course! Right this way," the waiter smiled, leading them to a table, "I'll get someone to take care of you right away,"

"Thank you," Sonja nodded.

The rest of the chosen nodded as well as Wolf curled up on Dianne's lap. " **I want meat.** " He declared, causing his chosen to laugh.

"Fine, Fine." Dianne looked to Sonja. "So… is there anything you'd recommend?"

"They've got mostly fast food here," Sonja told her, "The hamburgers are _really_ good...but I'm wanting something sweet. I'm going to get one of those sundaes,"

Arthur hummed. "Sounds good. Well, I think we might take you up on that recommendation."

"Mhm!" Janie agreed. "So, anyways Sonja." She gave huge grin. "Care to tell us about yourself and Jarvan?"

"Well, that's why we're shopping today," she admitted, a faint blush coloring her cheeks, "Zack and I, Shyv and Jarvan really, were going to get married a couple weeks ago. But, due to the war on Targon...we had to delay it. Since we're temporarily at peace, we decided to bring it back up to now. Problem is, I need to get a dress and a few more decorations. I kinda neglected to do that because of wartime. We're wanting to get it done soon...well...because there's a _slight_ issue if we don't,"

"What do you mean?" Dianne asked with a tilt of her head.

Sonja's face turned red as she unconsciously put her hand on her abdomen, not looking at the three.

The three blinked, before Arthur laughed. "I see." The two girls whispered back and forth before smiling. "I see why you wanted that sundae now, perhaps?" Arthur asked, trying to confirm with the bride to be.

"Yeah," Sonja smiled sheepishly, "Normally I wouldn't but...I think _someone_ has a sweet tooth,"

Dianne laughed. "I see." She looked around before leaning back in her chair, gently stroking Wolf's head. "So we'll eat, then head back out?"

"Sounds good to me," the Half Dragon smiled as the waiter came back.

"Are you all ready to order?" he asked.

"I am," Sonja nodded, "Are you all?"

"Yep," Janie chirped.

"I guess I'll go first," Sonja shrugged, "I'll take the hot fudge sundae...extra chocolate sounds pretty good to me,"

Dianne continued, "I'll have two burgers," she paused, "Can I get one of them without bread

"No problem, Lady Lamb," the waiter nodded, "And what for you all?"

"I'd like some of your stew," Janie smiled as she crossed her arms on the table.

"And I'd like a steak," Arthur finished.

"Stew, steak, two burgers one without the bun and a hot fudge sundae with extra chocolate," he beamed, "Any drinks?"

"Surprise me with _anything_ sweet," Sonja grinned.

"We have a new drink, think of it like liquid chocolate ice cream...better than a shake,"

"You had me at chocolate,"

"And for you all?"

"Water," Dianne murmured. Then paused, twitching. "Actually… I want some of that chocolate drink."

"I want it too," Jamie chimed.

"Do… you have a drink like Mountain dew?" Arthur asked.

Sonja suddenly burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" he questioned.

"I guess haha...I guess that no matter the universe things stay the same," Sonja chuckled, "They do have it...but among us, we call it Targon Water because our Arthur is that addicted to it,"

"So I take that's what you'd like sir?"

A nod. "Please."

"Alright, I'll be right back with your drinks!"

 ** _WHOMP!_**

The entire restaurant jumped a foot into the air.

"Waiter!" Helios called, grinning. "The menu, if you would!"

He, Ahri, Rakan, Xayah, Riya and Afi all sat upon a _gigantic_ sack of loot, which rivaled the size of the restaurant. The god had dropped it next to the building, flattening the top so that it could be used as a makeshift table.

Dianne blinked. "It's Helios…"

Arthur raised an eyebrow before nodding. "Who else would make an entrance like that?"

"Rakan would be a close guess," Shyvana stated, "but yes, no one makes an entrance like Helios,"

"Guilty as charged!" Helios cheerily replied, flicking through the menu as the waiter handed it to him. "It's one of the many perks of being m-"

He paused.

His pupils dilated.

In a flash, he vanished, as if he'd never been there in the first place.

"Wait! Helios where'd you go?!" Ahri cried.

"Why'd he go?" Janie questioned.

Ahri's ears twitched, alerting her to the slightest movement on the other side of the bag. She scooted over and looked down at the source. Helios had his back plastered to the fabric, hidden from view. He was sweating up a storm, a pallid expression on his face.

He looked up at her, pressing a finger to his lips.

" _What are you doing?_ " she asked him in a forced whisper.

" _Panicking._ " He replied. " _Nobody told me that_ she _was going to be here!_ "

" _What do you mean her?_ "

He made an inconspicuous gesture towards Shyvana.

 _"Do you have something against her?_ " Ahri asked, confused.

He opened his mouth.

He paused.

" _Not necessarily._ " He said. " _It's complicated._ "

One of her ears twitched. " _Okay… but you can't stay there, it's not like she actually knows you… I think. Just play it cool and you should be fine._ "

Helios sucked in a deep breath, then nodded. " _Alright. Game face._ "

"Sorry, my bad!" He said with a smile, climbing over the edge to sit back down. "Just slipped, is all!"

"Glad to see you're not hurt," Sonja started, "So, looks like you all had the eventful day,"

"Indeed we did!" Helios replied. Ahri could see his hesitation, but he was trying his best. "We've probably got half the entire market's stock in this bag. We're gonna put it to good use later, once we've got the _other_ half."

"You give Amber a run for her money," came the chuckle from Shyvana, "And Kaitlyn. Though, I suppose Kaitlyn misses being able to shop for shoes,"

"Yeah, but she exchanged it for fun perks." He said. "Like venom. And being able to swallow things whole."

"I think she still misses the shoes,"

He shrugged. "Probably."

" _Oooh,_ speaking of shoes, we should totally try that Demacian place after lunch." He told Ahri. "I saw some heels on display that'd look _really_ good on you."

"Sounds good," she grinned, curling a tail around her waist. "I think we gotta keep some chicks in check though," she wrapped another tail around Afi and Riya.

"Or we could turn them into minions." He replied.

"Wha's he talkin' about, Mama?" Riya asked, tugging on her mother's cloak.

"I don't know, but I have the worst suspicion that it's not good," Kristen stated, narrowing her blue eyes at Helios.

"That depends on perspective." His eyes gleamed.

"My instincts are telling me it's not a good thing...but then again, they said much the same thing when I met Rakan," Xayah admitted, "So it could be a bad thing and it could not,"

"Are you saying that my intentions might not be pure?" Helios asked, pretending to look aghast. "You insult me."

"Are they though?"

"...Not entirely, no."

She shook her head and rolled her eyes as Riya pointed at the menu.

"Mama! I want that!"

"Real food first,"

"But...but... _chocolate_!"

Kristen turned to her husband.

"Yep, your daughter," she deadpanned.

"You say that like it's a bad thing!" Fabien protested.

Helios casually pulled a chocolate cake out from the bag.

"If you behave, you get the whole thing as a reward." He told Riya.

She gasped, blue eyes wide before sitting up comically straight...almost so that she nearly fell over.

"Lesson one of parenting: bribery and discipline go hand in hand." He smirked.

"And time and patience," Xayah smirked, "like sabotage without the feather daggers,"

"I'm just glad that you quit with the whole 'rebellion' thing." He replied. "To be honest, I was about ready to slap both of you upside the head. No offense."

"I'm still a rebel...just more tolerant to humans. You have Kristen and Fabien to thank for that," Xayah clarified, "Zed is who I'm mostly after. Though nowadays, it seems more of Kayn being an issue. Zed had mellowed out after Aiko was born,"

"'Tis the curse of being an edgelord." Helios replied. "You become a pain in the ass."

Xayah barked out a laugh.

"Ready to order?" The waiter asked, coming up to the bag. He appeared to be a little perturbed by the unusual arrangement, but his professionalism prevented him from saying anything.

"I believe so," Xayah said, "I'll take the hamburger,'

"Same," her husband agreed.

"Can I have the chicken?" Riya chirped, "It looks good!"

"Chicken for the cute little-"

"I'm not cute!" Riya screeched, her feathers fluffing.

"Riya…" her mother warned.

"I'm _fabulous_!" Riya corrected, preening as her father nearly lost it, burying his face in his hands as he cackled, what skin that was visible was bright scarlet.

" ** _YES!_** " Helios yelled. " ** _FINALLY, SOMEBODY GETS IT!_** "

Riya beamed, smoothing her already glossy feathers as her mother facepalmed.

"Can I have some mashed potatoes or berries for Afi…" Xayah finally started.

The waiter valiantly fought down his smile, but nodded.

"No problem,' he told her before turning to Helios and Ahri, "And for this lovely couple?"

"...What."

Ahri stared at the man, one ear twitching. But then she took it in stride. Or… Ariel did. "Spaghetti."Both of them were red in the face. If Helios let his imagination run amok, he could hear Krista's maniacal laughter, taunting the both of them.

He was going to need a _lot_ of food.

"Five of everything. Including drinks." He said.

"What th-" he stopped, shaking his head once before regaining his composure, "A-All right, Sir,"

"Believe me, I'm good for it." Helios reached into his pocket.

He placed a diamond the size of his fist on the table.

"Straight from the mountain." He said. "Consider it payment in advance."

The poor waiter's eyes were about the size of said diamond, but he nodded, took the drink orders and headed off to the kitchen to put the order in.

Helios turned to see everyone staring at him.

"Don't judge me."

"You're going to give Kog'Maw, Graham, Cho'Gath, Kharn, Tahm and Agus runs for their money aren't you," Kristen stated.

"As if." Helios cracked his knuckles. "I'm going to make them _cry._ "

"We might have someone to finally end the debate on who the better cook is…" Fabien pointed out, "Cira, Nick, Agus or Panth,"

"I dunno, I don't particularly trust Cira to cook for me at the moment." He replied. "I mean, the onion wasn't _that_ bad, but still."

"An… onion?" Ahri asked, one eye still twitching due to her chosen.

"She disguised one as a candy apple."

"Oh you think _that_ was bad…" Kristen shuddered, "What she did to Krista was...ugh. Krista's sworn off trying to prank Cira again,"

"Basically...Krista thought she was getting a strawberry cake with yellow buttercream icing…" Fabien grimaced, "it wasn't strawberry or buttercream…"

"If that's the best she can do, she'd better step up her game." He replied. "I fully plan on retaliating once this is done."

"Cira likes the food-based pranks because she gets to be _creative_. If we weren't _here_...she could do a _lot_ more and be _more_ vicious. But then again, Cira doesn't start prank wars. She only retaliates,"

"Oh, I'll show her _creative._ " His eyes narrowed. "Trust me when I say that she's got no idea what's coming."

Neither said anything. Whatever was about to come...it was not going to be good.

"Besides, what've I got to lose?" Helios asked. "It's not like anyone's going to get hurt or anything."

* * *

It would be so easy to pull the trigger.

His superiors had been pursuing Chosens for years. Despite failing to secure a single kill on any single one of them, they'd been stubbornly persistent. Eventually, they'd concluded that killing them wasn't going to happen. So they tried a new approach - isolating them from Earth. A few pulled strings, some smooth sweet-talking, and everything had fallen into place.

They'd seen to it that the Barrier was impregnable. Vigorous testing ensured that not even the dragon would be able to get it down. With their task finished, they'd mostly gone off the radar. Even they had lives to get back to, though they still made routine checkups to be sure. They had plenty of people embedded into Runeterra's nooks and crannies. If anything came up, they were the first to know. As a result, when they got wind of a plan to bring the Barrier down, they'd gotten right back into the thick of things

A message needed to be sent, of course. They had to be reminded why they could never go back. The emperor of Shurima was tempting, but bullets wouldn't do much against an Ascended. The queen of the Freljord was considered for a while, but her realm wasn't exactly a place that screamed "conspicuous." It had to be a place with a reputation, and a solid one. By the time they'd finished going through the list of possible targets, there was really only one viable candidate.

The halfling's guard was down. Her fiancé was back at the Institute. The rounds he'd equipped could put down an elephant from twenty clicks. And from his nest, perched on the roof of a Piltovan shopping mall across the market, he could see everything, while his target could see nothing.

It would only take a pull of the trigger.

And yet, he hesitated.

Because of _him._

At first, they'd thought it was some kind of joke. When they received intel on a man who'd personally ended the war between Targon and Demacia, and discovered that the culprit was a _god,_ they had been expecting someone more...sophisticated. What they got instead was a grade A clown. The reports said his name was Helios. Incredibly strong, blindingly fast and equipped with enough firepower to level entire _cities,_ and yet he apparently lacked any sort of self-discipline. He was going to be a problem.

And he was sitting right across from his target.

If he took the shot now, it would most likely be intercepted. And then his cover would be blown.

He grit his teeth from under his mask.

 _Damn him._

There was also the matter of Leona and _her_ Chosen. However, his superiors had anticipated her arrival. He had more than enough firepower and training to deal with her. He'd been given permission to carry out the job however he saw fit, too. But as long as Helios was in the vicinity, his chances were slim at best.

He would have to wait.

And so he did.

* * *

"I'm pretty sure some prides will get hurt," Sonja chuckled.

"Not that they haven't been already." Helios replied. "The only reason she's going through with this is because I completely trashed her reputation."

"True," Sonja nodded as the waiter came back with her, Arthur, Dianne and Janie's orders, " _Yes!"_

"Here you are," he said, placing their food down, "we'll be back with the rest in a minute." He sweatdropped. "I'm afraid Lord Helios's order is taking a bit longer than anticipated."

"Lord now huh?" Sonja asked.

"One of the perks of being me." Helios reclined against the bag, grinning. His face was a little red, but he was performing admirably so far. "Don't get me wrong, I don't have a massive ego or anything, but it _is_ nice to have that kind of privilege."

He grinned down his nose at her. "I think you know what I'm talking about, _Your Highness._ "

"Not yet," she told him, "soon but I'm just still a royal guardian,"

"Your future subjects don't really seem to care either way." He reminded her. "They've already started rolling out the red carpet for you and everything."

"It's just a spark of happiness they've latched onto since the war," Shyvana stated, "In wartime, people tend to latch onto any hope they can find,"

"Well, here's hoping that your coronation turns out to be just as well-received." The waiter handed him a can of cherry soda (though it was only one of many to come), which he raised up to her in a toast. "Here's to you, Your Highness."

Sonja gave a blushing smile as she raised her chocolate drink in return before taking a sip elegantly...only to start drinking more enthusiastically after the first sip.

Helios chuckled. Sonja and Shyvana shared more than a few similarities, an addiction to chocolate among them. Shyvana had picked up the habit while she was on the run with her father, swiping samples from any market they came across.

The memory sparked a painful twinge in his chest, but he didn't show it. "I can pay for seconds, if you're interested." He said. "Hell, I can pay for thirds, fourths and fifths. That diamond was five times the value of my order."

"So how are you getting change?" Sonja asked, taking another drink, "But yes, I'll take another,"

"Don't need change." He replied. "That's another perk of being a god. You can fling money at whatever you want, and there'll never be any consequences."

"True," Sonja nodded, "What do you two think, Janie, Dianne? You think it's good? Oh...and Arthur...how's yours?"

Dianne had already downed her first glass of chocolate and was working on her second. Her mask had been adjusted so only her mouth was visible. She was far too preoccupied with her drink to respond. Janie was clearly holding back laughter as she slowly drank her own.

"What is this stuff!" Arthur yelled after tasting the Targon water. He ended up downing his drink almost as quickly as Dianne.

"Annnnd we've lost him to the addiction," Sonja chuckled, "He really _is_ Arthur Jonson,"

"Yep," Janie grinned. She leaned closer to Sonja, then whispered, "and Dianne has a chocolate moustache."

"Doesn't surprise me,"

Janie shrugged and smiled before continuing to sip at her drink.

"So, Fayes are always crazy about chocolate, Jonsons are crazy about Mountain Dew, and Nobles are very reserved," came the grin, "Guess some things are always the same,"

"We'll always be ourselves," she agreed.

"Well...unless someone puts charm magic in someone's food," Kristen said.

Janie coughed before looking over at Helios, but she spoke to Sonja. "Even word of that got to us, and we aren't even Chosen of this Runeterra."

"The more people mention it, the less I feel guilty about it." He grinned.

"I kinda feel sorry for her," Sonja stated, "First she's cursed and unable to be near her husband without her Champion going crazy, she gets him back and immediately gets pranked...and now you two are waging a prank war. Something I have a _bad_ feeling she's going to lose. But she's not going to take it sitting down so it's only going to get worse,"

"Sometimes you have to keep the acolytes entertained." He shrugged. "She'd get cranky if I didn't."

"Cranky? _Cira_?" Kristen blinked, "I've only seen her mad and irritated because of those hunters and being pulled in every direction, never cranky. I'm afraid of what that looks like,"

"Ask Arthur about what she was like when she was pregnant." He said. "That should provide a sufficient answer."

"What woman _isn't_ when she's carrying a child," Fabien deadpanned, only to get whapped upside the head with a feather cloak, "Ow!"

"You deserved it," Kristen replied.

 _WHAP!_

"Ow! Riya!" Fabien sputtered as Riya giggled.

"Mama did it!" she shrugged, "I can do it too! See!"

She whapped her father with her little cloak and Kristen started snorting into her hand.

"Ah, there's my order!" Helios said.

A mountain of food blocked out the sun in front of them. The waiter stood besides it alongside several other staff members. All of them looked absolutely exhausted.

"Here you are," he panted, "five of everything on the menu. Enjoy."

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to pass out." He fell flat on his face.

"...I'm giving this poor guy a tip," Sonja said, "The diamond's a big one...but he deserves a lot more too. Poor guy,"

"I doubt anyone will miss a few coins from the Demacian treasury anyways." Helios agreed.

"I suppose it's time to dig in?" Kristen asked as Riya squealed and started snacking on her chicken.

"So...I take it you guys are the more carnivorous birds," Sonja asked.

"It depends," Kristen shrugged, "Just what we feel like eating,"

"In my case, I feel like eating _everything._ " Helios said.

...The mountain of food was gone.

"To hell with you, physics." He sighed, patting his stomach.

"Cooooool!" Riya breathed.

"Join my army and I'll teach you how to do that." His eyes lit up as the opportunity presented itself. "You also get special perks. Like a lack of accountability. And free soda."

"Nope," Kristen said, "She's staying away. Not giving her sugar again...I thought _Rakan_ was bad…"

"She only destroyed the house once!" her husband protested.

"Three times over. And it took a whole day for her to calm down,"

" ** _Come to the Meme Side, Riya. We have cookies._** "

"...They better not have raisins…"

" ** _Chocolate chunk. With frosting as a side bonus._** "

"Again, nope," Kristen growled, "I'm not dealing with sugar crazed chicks,"

"I mean...he's pretty much got the Aspect kids…" Fabien told her, "Riya might just…"

"Finish that, and you're sleeping outside," Kristen threatened.

" ** _You know you want to, Riya. Join me, and unlimited snacks will be yours._** "

"Riya, you join him and you're grounded. No music or performing," Xayah told her daughter.

"NO!" Riya shrieked, feathers fluffing, "Noooooo Maaaamaaaaa! Don't take it!"

" ** _You suck, Xayah._** "

"It's called parenting,"

Something in Helios recoiled for a fraction of a second. He donned his smiling mask immediately thereafter, but Xayah took note of it regardless. She'd touched a nerve somehow. Curious.

A portal opened, and Zoe's head popped out again.

"A _hem_!" Vesper started, tapping her fingers against her arms, "I'm waiting for payment for helping?"

"Yes, yes, I've got you covered." He whistled, and a slice of mooncake appeared on his plate, courtesy of whatever god ran that particular business. "Voila. Satisfied?"

Vesper closed an eye and held up two fingers.

He rolled his eyes.

Two more slices fell onto the plate.

"Happy now?"

"Thank _you_ ," Vesper smirked, grabbing the pieces and going back through the portal.

"She's going to be a handful for her mother in a few years…" Sonja mused.

"She's becoming a more prank-filled version of her mother," Kristen shuddered, "we're _all_ going to be in trouble in a few years,"

"Just wait until I get a hold of Vasher." Said Helios. "Then you'll _really_ be in trouble."

"...those hunters might as well have killed us then," Sonja shuddered, "Vasher is bad enough...I don't _want_ to see what she does after you corrupt her even further. I see a lot of glitching in Torin's future…"

"That's right, huh? Vasher basically sees getting Torin to glitch as a sport, huh?" Ariel murmured.

"Any Project child but Torin mostly,"

Ahri nodded before leaning back. "You enjoy your food Helios?"

"Good gods, yes." He replied. "It should hold me until dinner. I'm not all _that_ full, but it'll do for now."

The fox blinked several times before sighing. "Well, you are a god so I suppose it makes sense…"

"It does," Sonja agreed, "what about our travelers? Your food ok?"

"Yep," Dianne grinned, finally speaking after downing her third glass. Wolf was munching on a burger himself, as his chosen poked at her own.

She seemed to speak for the other two as well, as they had also gotten a good way through their own meals. "How's your sundae?" Arthur asked between bites.

"It's good. Might have to take Zack here sometime soon,"

Ariel poked at her spaghetti with a fork, seemingly disappointed by... something. Ahri seemed a bit flustered herself, but ate some of the pasta.

"Something wrong?" Helios asked, concerned. "You look like you're on edge about something."

"Well, someone," the girl stared at herself, "was trying to get the two of us to reenact a scene from a movie." Her eyes changed to a bright blue and Ariel smirked.

"As tempting as it would be to make out with you, I'll have to pass for now." He replied, matching her expression. "I just ate. At least let me brush my teeth first." He shrugged. "Then, you know, if you're still interested, I wouldn't mind giving it a go."

Ahri uncharacteristically blushed. Ariel watched him for a moment before huffing, the blush still on her face. "You're seriously that fine with that?"

"That depends on how you feel about it." His grin widened. "I'd hate to force myself on a lady."

He was only teasing her, but that didn't cool the heat in Ahri's cheeks. If anything, it only burned hotter. The girls huffed, one eye gold, one blue and they turned their head away.

"Aww how cute," Sonja grinned.

"Ewwww," Afi whined, "No kiss!"

"What? No! I- I was only-" Helios cut himself off, flushing. "You know…"

"Oh if Krista saw you…" Fabien chuckled, "She's a bit of a matchmaker troll. You'd _never_ hear the end of it,"

"She'd be disappointed. I was only teasing, so _HA!_ " Helios shot back, somewhat unconvincingly.

"Uh huh, _suuuure_ ," Kristen grinned, "I'm very sure that somewhere there is a Krista cackling…"

" _Aaaaaaaand_ that's our cue to leave." Helios stood from his chair, Ahri with him. He opened the sack, rummaging through its contents and pulling out a gigantic pile of loot. "Rakan, Xayah, Riya, Afi, I believe these are yours. Thanks for tagging along."

"Thanks for letting us," Xayah smiled as she fluffed Afi's feathers.

"No problem. I had fun." He replied. "Rakan, Fabien, we need to have a chat later. I'll see you guys around, alright?"

"See ya around!" Fabien waved.

"Byyyyeeeee!" Riya chirped.

The others waved goodbye as the two of them left the restaurant. Helios called for Zoe to take care of the bag (naturally promising to compensate her with mooncake), and the two resumed their tour of the markets.

Helios sighed with relief. "Gods, I'm glad that's over with. I thought I was going to pass out."

"From embarrassment, or…?" Her tails curled in curiosity. "Personally, I am slightly worried that Krista will take all of that the wrong way," Ahri admitted.

"So am I." He said. "But, knowing her, there's not much we can do about it." He scratched his neck, looking away. "Sorry about...y'know. I was messing around. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

She laughed. "Its fine. Someone else was already trying to cause mischief. Embarrassment is something I can handle."

"Glad to hear it." He smiled. "Between Ariel and Krista, that's going to come in handy."

"Yep…"

"So, about that place selling boots…" she started, eyes bright with excitement.

"I did mention that, didn't I?" He replied. "Well, I've never been one to go back on a promise. Your wish is my command, milady."

He frowned at the crowd ahead of them. "The only problem is that the store's on the other side of the market, and I'm not really in the mood for wading through _that._ "

Helios pondered his options for a moment.

"Got it." He looked at her. "Quick question: vertigo or vomiting?"

"No…- Wait are you going to throw me again?!" she cried.

"Vertigo it is!" He suddenly swept her off her feet, carrying her in his arms.

Ahri blinked, trying to process what exactly was going on. Then she decided not to and threw poor Ariel in control. "WHAT?!"

"Hold on tight!" He squatted down.

Having nothing better to do, the chosen hugged him as tight as she could, in a comical fashion at that.

" _AND HERE - WE - **GOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**_ " Helios yelled, launching off the ground. The pair took off with the force of a rocket, soaring above the throngs of people at a dizzying speed.

"AHRI!" Ariel screeched. "I'M SOOOORRRRRYYYYYY!"

The vastaya elected to remain silent.

Ariel was lucky that she and Ahri had picked a jacket for the day. Despite it being late in the spring, the air was still brisk above the rooftops. The heels and thigh-high shorts didn't do much else to help, unfortunately. Her ears folded in response to the wind, which tore at her clothes and fur. Helios was, naturally, unaffected.

They were going too fast. At this rate, she was going to throw up. And Helios had made it sound like there would only be _one_ option.

 _Please slow down please slow down **please slow down PLEASE SLOW DOWN!**_ They both thought frantically.

And, remarkably, he did.

The wind slowed as their trajectory smoothened. Helios was using his power over gravity to ease their descent. They returned to the ground gently, so much so that Ahri wouldn't have noticed, if she hadn't been paying attention. He had conveniently placed them in front of the shoe store.

"See? You're fine." Helios smiled down at her. "Air Helios takes pride in keeping its passengers safe."

The sun shone down from above him. It painted his face in a brilliant golden light, creating a halo around his features. In that moment, he was every bit as radiant as his status expected him to be. Warmth seemed to radiate from every inch of him.

Ahri's breath hitched.

"You're staring." He said. His smile seemed to glow all the brighter.

The woman sputtered and turned away, a single tail curling around her waist.

"Come on." He said, setting her down. "Let's get inside."

Ahri was grateful that he'd changed the subject. She was feeling a little weak in the knees, and didn't know how much more she could take. What was going _on_ with her?

"Feel free to take anything you like." Helios said, reaching for the doorknob. "I've got more than enough to pay-"

The crack of a rifle punctured his sentence.

* * *

"Well, I think I'm done," Sonja smiled, putting her napkin back on the table and folding it neatly, "That was probably one of the best sundaes I've had. I'm _definitely_ bringing Zack here,"

She got to her feet…

 _CRACK!_

Hot fire rifled through her thigh and she went down with a screech of pain, clamping her hand to the wound as a feral rumble made its way from her chest.

"They can't be here...we've done nothing wrong…" she hissed, "They sealed us here!"

Dianne suddenly jumped in front of the woman, extending an arm. "Who are you? Reveal yourself!" Janie and Arthur also took offensive positions, surrounding Sonja, hoping to protect her.

Another shot served as a reply, taking the incarnation of Death through the shoulder.

She hissed, but refused to fall, looking around for the source of her newly blossoming wound.

"Over there," Janie declared, pointing straight at the man.

The armor he was wearing immediately labeled him as a Chosen hunter. A military uniform with dark grey camo, black combat boots and a mask with a tactical visor. He carried a black sniper rifle in his hands, the barrel smoking. He emerged from his perch, strafing along the mall's roof as he unloaded shot after shot. Most were intended for Shyvana and Sonja, but occasionally he would take a potshot at Janie. The rounds were strong enough to put dents in her shield.

The crowd had gone into uproar the second the first shot went off, spiraling downwards into mass panic. People ran, hid and screamed, vacating the courtyard around the restaurant as quickly as possible. Soon, it was only the champions, Chosens and their attacker.

Riya and Afi screamed, hiding behind their parents, Sonja dragged herself under the table, using her food leg to kick it over as a makeshift shield. There hadn't been an incident in _years_. Not since they had been exiled to Runeterra.

Janie looked to her friends and the two children before rushing out towards the man, holding herself behind her shield. He wasn't going to hurt anyone else on her watch.

The sniper, however, had other plans. Janie's shield could only protect her from the front. From the _back,_ she was completely vulnerable.

She automatically raised her shield when he fired again, but the shot never made contact. Instead, it ricocheted off a lamppost next to her, biting deep into her ankle. She cried out, her leg buckling from under her.

"Janie!" Sonja yelled, attempting to stand but hissing as her wound said otherwise.

"Don't worry about me, Sonja," the chosen called out. Arthur glanced between the two of them before sighing and beginning his own advance.

"You don't know how to _deal_ with this!" Sonja snapped, "What would your sister say if she saw you doing this?"

Janie froze up, slowly turning to Sonja, but paused halfway. "She… wouldn't say anything."

Sonja growled under her breath.

"Nobles being so... _noble_ …" she grumbled, "think of yourselves for once in your lives…"

"She wouldn't say anything, Sonja, because her sister is dead," Dianne murmured.

"If she were alive what would she say, tell me that," Sonja demanded, "I know my Cira wouldn't handle her sibling being put in danger. You three don't _know_ these people. They've hunted us for _years_ , we've learned to adapt. Janie doesn't have the armor that our Cira does. Caleb and Jake spent _years_ improving the Projects so that _they_ couldn't easily hurt them. You see those bullets are making dents in her shield. What do you think it's going to do to _her_! I don't want _anyone_ to die under my watch!"

She looked up at the sky.

"Where is that Solari when you need her? C'mon Cira, _get here already_!"

Rakan had thrown a shield around his children, while Xayah plucked a handful of feathers from her cloak. She let them fly, the blades singing a bloodthirsty whistle. Her accuracy was impeccable, but her range was limited, and as a result only one found its mark, stabbing the sniper at the hip. He staggered, but his armor was thick, and he pulled it out with relative ease.

He raised his gun, and unloaded three consecutive shots. Rakan and Fabien were there in an instant, shielding her with their magic.

That had only been a distraction.

Rakan's shield on Riya and Afi had dissipated.

The sniper aimed at _them,_ and his rifle cracked twice.

Rakan only had time to use his own body as a shield, rather than magic. The rounds pierced his collarbone and waist, felling him.

"NO!" Kristen and Xayah both shrieked, eyes blazing blue and amber as she ran to her husband.

The children wailed, unable to do much else but watch as their father fell.

Dianne looked to the woman behind her before, as quickly as she could, moving to Rakan. Upon reaching him, she murmured something under her breath, causing the area to glow with the light of Lamb's Respite.

As soon as the glow faded, a concussive round struck her in the back of her skull. She collapsed in a heap at Riya's feet before her form disappeared, leaving only a small mask in her place.

"Miss Lamb!" She screeched.

"She'll be fine!" Janie called out. She used her shield as a brace, using it to push herself up. She tested her ankle, wincing before slowly moving backwards.

The kids whimpered.

Their mother, meanwhile, was keeping the sniper busy. She slowly led his shots away from the others, keeping his focus entirely on her. Janie pulled Shyvana to her feet while he was distracted. The two of them braced against each other for support, hobbling away from the skirmish.

Xayah buried a trio of feathers in the sniper's leg. The feathers had struck the armor's weakest points, drawing blood. A fourth feather struck him right between the eyes. His mask prevented it from being a lethal blow. He didn't even bother to tear it out, resuming his exchange with the vastaya.

His gaze shifted. He'd seen Janie and Shyvana.

His rifle set its crosshairs on the dragoness's heart.

Xayah's eyes widened. She and her Chosen started towards them, calling out a warning.

She'd fallen for his ruse.

A splotch of red blossomed across her stomach. Her feathers fell from her hands, and she toppled to the ground.

Fabien darted forwards, his magic flaring around his wife in a golden aurora as he hurled a single golden feather at the sniper, it connected and came back to Fabien, glowing with faint green as he placed his bigger hands over his wife's wound.

"Please…" he whispered, "c'mon love, please wake up…"

His hands exploded with crimson. He fell forward against his wife, a bullet hole in each palm.

"Please." The sniper finally said, through a voice modulator. "How stupid do you think I am?" The distortion made his statement audible even from the roof.

"Lucky for you, I couldn't care less if you live or die." He continued. "I've only got one target."

He loaded his last round into the magazine. Shyvana's back was turned. She looked over her shoulder to stare him down, eyes widening with panic.

His trigger finger flexed.

"Well, _hi._ " A voice growled from behind him.

He spun around, but the rifle was already gone from his hands. A blow to the chest knocked him off the roof. He rolled with the impact, but he'd likely broken a few ribs in the process.

Helios jumped off the edge. The ground shattered where he landed, sending debris flying in all directions. Liquid flame dripped from his hands, melting right through the ground where it made contact.

His eyes...the look in his eyes was nothing short of _demonic._ Even Janie felt a chill crawl up her spine.

The sniper pulled himself to his feet, drawing a handgun from a holster on his waist. He fired, hitting him right next to his heart. He staggered, his shirt stained red.

"Helios!" Shyvana yelled.

But to everyone's shock and amazement, he didn't seem to be bothered by the wound at all. He simply dug into his skin and pulled out the bullet, crushing it between his fingers.

The sniper fired until the magazine was empty. Wounds burst open all over Helios's body, but once again, they failed to faze him. He just advanced, leaving smoldering footsteps in the pavement.

The sniper tossed his gun away, pulling out a knife. When Helios was in range, he lunged, swiping at his neck. Helios stopped his arm with his wrist, delivering a punch to the gut in response. The sniper coughed up blood through his mask.

Helios, surprisingly, appeared to be proficient in hand-to-hand combat. He parried each strike with ease, then replied with a series of sharp jabs and punches. The crack of bone followed each one.

He grabbed the sniper's face, shoving it into his knee. The mask's visor shattered, glass shards slicing into the skin of his face. He took a blind swing, but Helios spun under it, grabbing the knife and plunging it into his hip. He then delivered a kick to the hilt, burying it deeper as the sniper flew across the courtyard, smashing against the restaurant's wall.

"You know, I generally consider myself to be pretty gracious when it comes to forgiving people," Helios said, walking towards him, "but I'm going to have to call today an off day."

He crouched down to meet him at eye-level, resting his arms on his knees. "I can't even _begin_ to describe what I'm feeling right now," he continued, livid. "You've crossed a line nobody's ever had the gall to cross."

"And you know what?" Helios asked. "You crawling out of your hole to send a message wasn't what set me off. Nor was it that you attacked Janie and Dianne, who are both technically on my payroll." He jerked a thumb at both of them, and the numerous injuries they'd sustained.

"Hell, it wasn't even the fact that you did it in front of _kids._ " Riya and Afi were both mortified. They'd been scarred by what they'd seen. It would haunt them for the rest of their lives. "Though, believe me, it came pretty close."

"No, you see, the _real_ reason why I'm going to kill you, you dumbass," Helios placed a hand on the sniper's shoulder, "is because you tried to kill my _granddaughter._ "

His face drained of color.

"Fair warning - this isn't going to be quick."

Helios's hand burst into flames. The sniper immediately swatted at it, but his grip remained firm, digging his fingers into the fabric of his uniform. The material blackened, trailing smoke.

Then he started screaming.

The uniform came off to reveal the blistered skin underneath. It was already a crusty shade of red, shriveling at the god's touch. The sniper thrashed and wailed, but there was no escaping. Helios had given his sentence.

The skin deteriorated into a charred black, and the screaming momentarily stopped. He could no longer feel anything in his arm. But Helios was only getting started. The screams of pain turned to horror as the tissue started _melting,_ bubbling on the surface like tar. It softened until it could no longer remain attached to the socket, and with a sharp tug, Helios pried the arm free.

"Oh, quit _whining,_ " Helios sneered, in response to his shrieking. "I've only just begun, so you might as well get used to it."

He grabbed the knife by the blade, still lodged in the sniper's waist. It began to glow red, the wound hissing. "Hurts, doesn't it?" Helios asked, watching him writhe. "Good."

He twisted the blade. The sniper spasmed.

Janie felt like she was going to vomit.

Helios dragged the knife down, widening the cut. The wound sizzled and softened, all the way down to the leg. He grabbed ahold of the thigh, and yanked the sniper's leg off.

He was barely conscious. His throat had gone hoarse.

Helios sighed. "I suppose I'll have to cut this short, then."

He placed both hands on either side of the sniper's head. He rammed them together, and his skull collapsed, turning into a pile of charred mush in between.

Helios let the corpse drop, standing up. He exhaled, wiping the gunk off his pants.

Ahri and Ariel finally caught up to Helios, both in control. "Heli- oh…" the two stared in shock at the remains of the sniper, fearful. The Champion's tails bristled as she slowly looked up at him and realized the amount of damage that had been dealt to him as well. "What…?"

"Oh. Yeah." Helios looked down at his wounds. "It hurts, but I'll be fine. I've had worse."

"What happened here?" she turned to Sonja, then looked at Helios again.

"Sniper. Chosen hunters." He replied. "I dealt with him."

"Why were they here?" she suddenly asked in a panic. "We didn't break any rules, did we?"

"They're getting scared." Helios said. "They don't want us bringing the Barrier down."

"And as you can see, they sent us a message." His expression became pained, as he looked over Rakan and Xayah's wounds. Summoners had _finally_ arrived, and were tending to them with their magic. "I only wish that I'd been here sooner."

" _Granddaughter_?" Shyvana started, "Helios...who is she?"

Helios froze.

For a long, tentative moment, he didn't reply. Ahri had a feeling that she already knew the answer.

His shoulders sagged as he exhaled. "When your father was still alive, he used to tell you stories by the fire, as you fled from your mother. How many of them do you remember?"

"Most of them,"

"Do you remember the one about the origin of dragons? Where they came from? How they were created?"

"Barely,"

"They were born of a flame that came directly from the sun, Shyvana." He turned, looking her straight in the eyes. "Directly from _me._ "

She staggered back a step, stunned.

" _I'm_ your granddaughter…" she whispered before fire came into her eyes, "then _where were you_? Where were you when we were on the run? When I...when I was _alone_ …"

"Shyvana, I-"

A snarl cut him off. She pried herself away from Janie, her wounds already starting to heal. She stormed off, venting smoke from her head and shoulders.

Helios opened his mouth to call after her. No sound would come out. His throat felt dry.

He grit his teeth, hands clenched into fists. He turned around, flames enveloping his body.

"Helios, where are you-"

Ahri never got to finish. He'd already vanished.

"What. _Happened_ ," came another voice.

The assembled Chosens turned to face Cira, who was in a more casual dress than her usual armor.

"I come here to pick up a few things, next thing I see is smoke and…" she stopped as she caught sight of the carnage, particularly the body, "who was that…"

Janie winced before limping over to Dianne's mask. She carefully picked it up before responding to her 'sister.' "Sonja called him a chosen hunter."

Cira froze, shaking so hard that her armor, hidden by the projector, rattled. The look of terror and rage in her eyes was unmistakable. After about ten seconds, she seemed to pull herself together before looking at Janie.

"Are you all ok,"

"Dianne will be, I got shot in the ankle, but I have no idea where Arthur went," she replied.

"Sit," Cira ordered, coming to her sister and pointing at a chair, "I can do a quick patch, but you need to get to Jake and Caleb after so they can properly repair you,"

She looked around, scanning to see Arthur, but failing.

"I hope he's ok…"

"I'm sure he is," Janie murmured, clinging to the mask as she carefully sat down. She was quiet for a moment, "Which one is Caleb again?" she asked awkwardly.

"Caleb is Viktor, Jake is Jayce," Cira told her, "I almost bet I know how you got this...Janie, here, they had to modify their bullets so that they do more than just tickle me. I've had to have my armor increased in order to combat that. You could have been _killed_. I know you want to protect others...but unless you know about your opponent…just, don't do anything stupid, ok? I know I'm not your Cira...but if she were here, I think she'd tell you the exact same thing,"

Janie slowly nodded. "Sonja said the same. I just wanted to keep her safe though."

"I know," Cira said, finishing the patch, "but you're no use to anyone if you fall. Sonja and Shyvana both know that. That's why we don't just run into the middle of a war zone,"

Another nod. "Fine. I won't." She lightly pressed her ankle against the ground before leaning back against the chair. "I wish this didn't hurt so much."

"Little bit of a design flaw in the original model," Cira chuckled, "An Achilles heel if you will, haha,"

She straightened up and looked around.

"Where did Helios go? I could have sworn I caught a glimpse of him,"

"He left. Shyvana, _his granddaughter,_ got mad at him for not being there for her and well… both ended up more than a bit upset." Janie sighed, "To be honest, it happened kinda quickly." She clutched the mask to her chest as she carefully stood up. "I wish I understood a bit better, but I don't want to cause any more tension there than there already is."

" _Grand_ daughter," Cira blinked, "How…"

She shook her head.

"That explains the whole aversion to her," she mused almost to herself.

Cira got up, and scanned over Janie once more before giving a sigh.

"Here's hoping it gets sorted out and soon," Cira said, looping Janie's arm around her shoulders, "c'mon, off to Caleb and Jake you go,"

Cira couldn't shake the feeling that something had gone completely and terribly wrong.

 **So...that went over well. For what is going to happen in the next chapter? I don't really know. I just know that there might be some feels.**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)  
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)**

 **Pantheon-Arthur Jonson**

 **Fiora- Victoria Meraux**

 **Zoe- Vesper Jonson**

 **Xayah- Kristen L'Amour**

 **Rakan-Fabien L'Amour**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye (Diamond)**

 **Kalista-Krista Rhon**

 **Ahri-Ariel Royal**

 **Camille-Vivian Vauclain**

 **LeBlanc-Ana Testarosa**

 **Lee Sin- Chao Long**

 **Shyvana-Sonja Chadayev**

 **Viktor-Caleb Thompkins**

 **Jayce- Jake Reagan**

 ** _Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)_**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 **Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)**

 **Leona-Janie Noble**

 _ **...And then there are**_ ** _Helios and Selene._**

 **Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!**

 **Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

 **Máriessë ar mára tecië**

 **Farewell and fair writing**

 **Elhini Prime signing off.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Now we have the aftermath of the previous chapter. The Tribunal realizes just how powerful Helios is, and that the hunters are here. However...they're not the only things that are going to be going on a Hunt. Helios gets some one on one time with an old friend...as well as get even with Cira because prank wars are a thing...**

Chapter VIII

Cira looked around the room full of Chosens, Andrew and the Tribunal. It was very rare when all the leaders of the nations came together outside the Fields of Justice, and when they did...it was normally something bad. Her husband stood beside her, watching. Ashe and Tryndamere were watching from the side, the latter holding his wife close. Azir tapped his fingers on his staff, what was going on in his head, Cira couldn't tell. Jarvan was quiet, but there was a slight flicker of worry on his face, likely for Shyvana, who was missing and hadn't shown herself since the incident. Miss Fortune and Gangplank were standing away from each other, but like everyone else, they were silent. Karma, Zed and Shen were near them, each of them there to represent their faction within Ionia. Cira looked to the other side, catching sight of Janna, Caitlyn, Swain, Mordekaiser, Kalista...more and more people that lead or represented their respective factions. Xayah and Rakan were also there, holding their children. Xayah still had bandages around her stomach while Rakan's hands were wrapped in cloth.

"I'm sorry we kinda dragged you into this," Cira said, turning to Janie and her Dianne, "But then again, you guys were there,"

"It's fine," Janie murmured. "You need what witnesses you can get."

Dianne nodded in agreement before stretching a bit. "I just wish I wasn't so sore. I shouldn't have rushed with leaving my 'safe place'." she did quotation marks in the air with her fingers before sighing. "I'm kind of hoping that they don't go too hard on Helios for that."

"They put up with my...issues…" Cira muttered, rubbing the back of her head, "I think they won't go as hard on him. They're probably just upset they couldn't question that…"

She gave another shudder.

"That... _man_ …" she finally said as she rubbed her arms, fighting off a bad memory.

"You're ok," her husband reassured her as he wrapped his arms around her, "They're gone. They can't hurt you again, I promise,"

"Except the fact they _did_ ," Cira countered, "They came _here_. They nearly killed Sonja, Afi, Riya, Kristen, Fabien, Arthur, Janie and Dianne,"

He went silent as he lay his head on hers, humming softly. She turned back to the Tribunal and Andrew, who were talking.

"Andrew, there's still the fact he's killed someone," the Icathian representative pointed out.

"Out of defense of someone he cared about," Andrew countered, "Cira and Leona have done the same. So have Arthur and Pantheon. Don't give me that bull,"

"Andrew…" Aneria started only to get cut off.

"How _dare_ you talk to us like that!" the Icathian representative screeched.

"I _dare_ to talk to you like that because you just sat there and did _nothing_ while I, my Champion and her family were _cursed_ ," Andrew snarled.

 _CRACK!_

The sound of Aneria's staff on the marble floor was deafening and terrifying all at the same time.

"You," she stated, looking at her fellow Tribunal member, "Sit down and shut up. And Andrew...calm down or do I need to drag Freja into this…"

Andrew's fire seemed to dissipate at the mention of his mother's name.

" _Now_ ," Aneria huffed, "Since we're all _calm_ and _quiet_ now...I want to review this,"

She held up her hand and a shimmering image appeared in the air. At a few murmured words from the Elder Freljordian, the image began to move.

The recording started at the time the sniper took his first shot. The gathered champions murmured and gasped as they watched Shyvana take a bullet to the thigh. Jarvan blanched at the sight. Their horror only grew as he watched them incapacitate the others. Outrage quickly spawned from their appallment. Only Swain, Gangplank and the Icathian representatives remained stoic.

Cira started shaking again, memories resurfacing and causing her armor to shake and rattle, violently. Arthur had to quickly wrap his arms around her and hold her close, reminding her that everything was ok.

Then came Helios's arrival. Everyone watched with suppressed awe as he made short work of his opponent. He'd taken a whole clip at point-blank range, and shrugged it off like it was nothing.

Ahri cringed, averting her eyes.

And finally, the execution. Ashe had to press a hand to her mouth to stop herself from vomiting. Karma recoiled, unable to keep watching. Even Zed was disturbed by the sheer brutality Helios displayed.

Gangplank's mouth twitched upwards, though only a little. He was, loathe as he was to admit it, somewhat impressed. Mordekaiser nodded with approval.

Most of the room shuddered as they watched Helios crush the sniper's head between his hands.

The image faded as Aneria waved her hand.

"Is it horrible of me to say that this does not surprise me?" she asked, "My only regret is that we could not capture this monster and interrogate him. Perhaps figure out how to break the curse on Targon or even bring down the barrier between our worlds and let the Chosens freely move between worlds again…"

She gave a sigh.

"It's in the past now...but I would like to hear from Helios. Where is he?"

"He disappeared after he and Shyvana got into a bit of an argument," Janie explained. "I've got no idea where he went."

"What of your Arthur?"

"He went missing at some point too during that. I was going to try to find him." Dianne sighed.

"It would be wise to do so after this," she nodded.

The doors nearly swung off their hinges. Selene barged in, scythe in hand. Apollyon immediately bowed in reverence. 

"I came as soon as I heard what happened," she said. "Is everyone alright?"

"Some injuries, some emotional scarring but other than that okay," Fabien started, starting to put his arm around his wife but hissing in pain as his wounds twinged.

"Where's my brother?" She looked around the room. "I don't see him."

"Currently? Missing." Dianne muttered.

"Why?" Her brow furrowed. "What happened?"

"Shyvana," Kristen rasped, still recovering.

She drew in a sharp breath. " _She found out?_ How?"

"Sniper threatened her. He made Cira look tame," Arthur said.

Selene sighed. "Knowing my brother, he probably let it slip himself. Leave it to him to be careless."

She inhaled, then deflated. "Unfortunately, none of us can really do much, at the moment. Helios is going to need time." She frowned, a sorrowful glint in her eyes. "He loves Shyvana very much, you know. He's very proud of all that she's accomplished."

"Time is not necessarily on our side, Lady Selene," Apollyon said, "The Curse is still there, it's just a matter of when it decides to come back. I hope that he can figure out what is going on, but he needs to do this quickly. Now that they know you are here and what you are capable of...I have a strange feeling that they are going to take you both into this account for a modification to their curse,"

She slammed the butt of her scythe on the ground. The Targonian elder flinched.

"Do you doubt _my_ abilities, Apollyon?" She asked. "I am weaker than my brother, it's true, but I am more than capable of handling matters like this on my own. You would do well to remember that."

"My apologies, I was merely reporting what I had seen," he said, bowing his head in respect.

She nodded. "If that settles it…." She turned to the Tribunal and champions. "Shall we get started, then? Apollyon's right; they'll be watching us from now on."

"I just want to know _why_ they are here," Alexander, Azir's Chosen growled, "We're stuck here. So why send that guy after Sonja and Shyvana…"

"Because she's Jarvan's bride-to-be." She replied.

Said King of Demacia's face fell as the notion hit him.

"If I hadn't asked her...she never would have been attacked...or if I…" He stopped, giving a sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "it's all my fault…"

"If you're thinking about calling off the marriage, don't." Selene said. "That wouldn't accomplish anything, and then Helios would come after _you_ for breaking her heart."

"I'm not calling it off," he said, "but neither do I want a repeat of what happened in Cira and Arthur's wedding on Earth…"

Cira flinched and Arthur shot a glare at Zack.

"Thanks for bringing that up again," he growled, "We _just_ got those nightmares to quit. And we'd _rather_ not remember that day,"

"Enough." Selene shut down the argument before it could begin. "Steps will be taken to ensure Shyvana's safety during the procession." She shot a look at Aneria. "I trust that you'll do everything in your power to ensure things go smoothly?"

"Especially now that we know that they're out there hiding,"

"But again, that makes me wonder. While Shyv and Sonja might have been the targets…" Amelia started, " _Why_ was he _here_? We can't get out. Believe us, we've _tried_ and they've probably laughed at us…"

"They most likely have their own methods of traveling between worlds." Selene mused. "Curious indeed."

"Oh so _they_ can travel back and forth and _we_ can't?" Krista snapped, "I call bulls-"

"KRISTA!" Cira snapped, "Kids!"

"Crap. Bull _crap_ ," the ex-sniper seethed, "it's not fair!"

Ahri looked around. "Should… I try to go find Helios?" she offered, trying to pull away from the currently unsolvable problem of the hunters. "The two of us are somewhat close I guess. He might come if I ask."

"Really?" Selene regarded her with interest. "I wasn't aware of that." How odd. She would have to ask him about this when she next saw him.

She hummed. "However...I can't really say that finding him now would be the best idea. I doubt he's in the mood for this at the moment."

Ahri opened her mouth to say something, but shook her head. "Okay." Her tails curled around her as she stayed firmly where she was.

Selene was _definitely_ going to ask her brother about this.

"We'll wait a few days, and if he isn't back by then, we'll go look for him." She reassured her. "He'll be fine, don't worry."

She nodded once more before her eyes glittered blue with a hint of amusement. "She wants to be alone with her thoughts for now, so I'll be in charge for a bit."

 _Intriguing,_ Selene thought.

What on Runeterra had she been missing?

* * *

It was five days before she finally had enough.

No one had seen hide nor hair of Helios since the revelation that he was Shyvana's grandfather. The dragoness herself continued preparing for her wedding, but in a noticeably fouler mood than before. Jarvan was doing his best to console her, but she stubbornly rebutted him each time he tried.

Helios's friends, meanwhile, grew increasingly unnerved by the lack of activity created by his absence. Each morning they expected him to come out of his room with a new scheme in the works, and yet they were disappointed each time. It just felt... _wrong._ Cira and Leona were getting worried. Krista missed having a worthy rival at the arcade. Ahri's thoughts seemed to constantly wander; she could never focus on any one thing for too long.

"Right, that's it." Selene snapped her book shut, standing up from her sofa. "He's had long enough to brood."

She made her way to the arcade, opening the door. Krista and Brigid were embroiled in a game of Smash Bros., but Kalista's Chosen wasn't putting her heart into it. Ariel watched from the sidelines, while the other arcade champions pursued their own interests with the machines.

"Ah, I thought I'd find you here," Selene said. "Am I interrupting anything important?"

"Not really," came Krista's mutter.

"In that case, I need you to come with me," she replied. "We're going to fetch Cira and Arthur, and then we'll find Helios."

Ahri watched the moon incarnate for a moment, before moving to retreat further into the arcade.

Selene quirked a brow. "What was that about?"

"I'd say what _I_ think about it, but that would probably get me foxfired," Krista stated, "long story short, she's taken his disappearance harder than a lot of people would think she would,"

"In that case, she's going to want to come with us," Selene said. "I might know where he is."

Several ear-twitches later, Ahri was next to them, having thrust Ariel into it. The chosen shook her head before letting a faint grin show. "Mkay. I guess the two of us are ready to go."

Krista thanked Brigid for the match, and the three of them exited the arcade. They had barely turned the corner when they bumped into Jarvan and Zack.

"This is an entourage that I've never seen before...what are you up to?" He asked.

"We're hoping to put an end to my brother's moping," Selene replied. "I have a reasonably accurate idea of where he might be."

"Would it be alright if I tagged along," Zack started, "Shyv and Sonja are a wreck, I want to at least make her happy on her wedding. She's been alone for so long, maybe she'd feel better if she at least had someone to give her away,"

"If you insist," she replied, "though I can't imagine she'll be very happy about that."

"She's hurting, I...figured that if he explains what happened she'll actually smile again and not be growling and spitting sparks at whoever is talking to her."

"Alright. To Cira and Arthur we go, then."

The first Chosen and her husband were taking a stroll in the gardens, while Braum watched their children. Cira already knew what they were doing when Selene approached them, and the moon incarnate knew it as well.

"Ready to go?" Selene asked. "There's really only one place Helios would go in this situation. It won't take long at all."

"Ready when you all are," Cira nodded.

"Then if you'd all stand in a circle around me, please."

They grouped into a loose ring around the goddess, standing as close to her as possible. She tapped her scythe on the ground. Silver light flooded from the base, spreading until it blanketed the area under their feet. It brightened until it was blinding, enveloping the gathered champions as they shielded their eyes.

They lowered their arms as the light finally faded. They'd been teleported outside the Institute. Jarvan realized that they were actually fairly close to Demacian borders. They stood in the midst of plains filled with rolling hills, a forest visible off in the distance. The sky was overcast, and there was no sound save for the breeze, which gently caressed the bladed stalks of grass.

"This way." Selene led them down a narrow path in between the hills. "Helios won't be far off."

As they followed her, the landscape began to change. The grass around them had blackened and withered in some areas, trailing wisps of smoke from the husks. The air was tinged with a slight haze.

"Helios I guess?" Krista asked, looking at the grass.

"Most likely," Selene agreed. "It would seem that he had a right proper tantrum. Understandable, really."

They found Helios himself not long after. They first saw him in the distance, sitting on the edge of a hill. He was still wearing his clothes from five days ago. The fabric was coated with dried blood, and peppered with bullet holes. He either didn't notice them or didn't care, keeping his back to them.

Ariel looked to Selene for a moment, then Ahri came back. "Helios…?" she called out.

His head perked up. "Hey," he said, not bothering to look at her.

"Tough case if he won't even look up at her," Krista muttered only to get nudged by Cira.

"Not the time," she told her friend.

" _I heard that,_ " he said.

Helios sighed. "Look, I'm just… I'm not in the best mood right now."

"We know that, Helios," Selene said, "but you've been out here by yourself for the past _five days._ I think it's time to come back."

"I haven't been alone," He replied. "Rahm's kept me company."

Selene's expression softened.

"Rahm?" Cira asked.

Helios gestured in front of him. "Right here. I thought he'd help me think."

The hills sloped downward from where he sat, forming a flat clearing in the center of a circle. Inside were the skeletal remains of a dragon, at least fifty feet in diameter. The bones were half-buried in the earth, moss running along the spinal column and wings. The skull was positioned so that it stared right at him, almost like the two had been having a conversation earlier.

"Is that-"

"Yeah," Helios said. "Say hello to Shyvana's father."

"This is her father…" Cira breathed, looking at the remains, "he must have been quite something when he was alive. How well did you know him?"

"Not as much as I would've liked," he admitted. "He knew that I existed, though. Sometimes he'd talk to me, after Shyvana had gone to sleep. I couldn't reply, but it was enough for him to know that I was listening. It wasn't the ideal relationship, but it worked. Shyvana's _mother,_ on the other hand…"

He grunted. "Well, I never liked her much, even _before_ Shyvana hatched. I'd modeled dragons after Aurelion, and Yvva probably represented his worst traits. She was always too prideful, too arrogant, too ignorant of how the world worked. She put too much value in her lineage than I deemed acceptable."

Wisps of smoke trailed from his fingers. "And look at where that got Rahm, who was always willing to put his trust in others, even when they didn't deserve it."

"Which he got from you," Cira pointed out, "what happened to him was not your fault. Don't blame yourself,"

Helios chuckled bitterly. "Sure."

"Picture this." He rested his elbows on his knees. "You're the most powerful being on the planet. And that's not even exaggerating. _Gods_ bow to you. Your wrath is the stuff of legends. With a snap of your fingers, you can wipe out entire _cities._ No one in the _world_ is above you. You're at the very top of the pecking order."

"And yet, despite that…" His voice cracked a little. "When it _really_ counts, when the people you love most need you…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "It isn't worth _shit._ All that power, and it means nothing."

He finally looked over his shoulder at Ahri. "I think you might know what that feels like."

The fox winced, then nodded. "I… do."

"I mean, yeah, we couldn't do anything, but…" He ran a hand through his hair. "I should've done _more,_ divine rules be damned. _Gods,_ I'm such a piece of shit."

"No you're not," Cira tried again.

"She's right," Zack agreed, "But, you running off like this? I hate to admit it but that's kinda the coward's way out,"

"Believe me, I don't like it any more than you do," he replied. "But, well...it's not like I have any other option."

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "My own granddaughter hates me. Living the dream, right here."

Ahri hesitated again, but Ariel snapped into control, eyes wide and almost angry. "So leaving my champion mopey and dejected for days on end is the dream?"

"What? No, I was being sar-" He paused. "Wait, mopey? Dejected?"

"Yep. Playful little Ahri over here has barely left the arcade or her room this week. Barely picking at her food, and me having to force her to eat. It's been fun." her voice was rather unamused.

"...Oh." He said simply. "I...um...didn't know she...cared that much."

He had the decency to look embarrassed, bashfully rubbing his neck. "I guess I wasn't thinking. I should've at least given you a heads-up before I ran off. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry."

There was a quiet hum of acknowledgement from Ariel before golden eyes greeted him, though Ahri wouldn't quite look at him. It stung him a little, but he knew he deserved it.

"So, what exactly am I supposed to do now?" He asked Cira. "Just get on with my life?"

" _Helios,_ " Selene started, but he cut her off.

"No, I'm _serious,_ " he said. "What would you do if Artemis resented you, Cira? Or Ares? Even _Apolla?_ Because that's what _this_ feels like."

Cira had no answer.

"I don't…" He swallowed. "I don't know how to deal with this kind of thing." His shoulders sagged. "It's just... _hard._ I need help."

As ancient and powerful as he was, he sounded so small, so _vulnerable_. This was a crisis he'd been expecting, yet was never prepared for. How could he be? No one could ever be ready for something like this.

Without warning, Ahri was next to him, slowly wrapping her arms around him in a hug. A few tails joined her arms and she left out a deep breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. In a whisper, "You can't just give up like this though."

He stiffened, then relaxed, putting his arm around her as she put her head on his shoulder. "Thank you," he said.

"I don't want to give up completely," he continued. "I hope that one day, she'll be able to forgive me." He shrugged. "But, until then...I'll just have to give her time, and be there for her when she needs it. Whether she likes it or not."

"Does that mean you'll _finally_ come back, then?" Selene asked. "No offense, brother dear, but we're all tired of waiting."

He sighed, then chuckled. "Yes, Selene, I'll come back. I'm done being a pill."

Cira gave a brilliant smile, her glow blinding. Krista, hand raised to her eyes to shade them, walked up to Cira and whispered in her ear. The smile turned thoughtful and slightly evil for a split second before reverting back to lighthearted joy.

Helios stood, helping Ahri to her feet, then suddenly hissed.

"Ah, nuts." He held a hand to his stomach. "I should probably get these bullets removed. The wounds don't hurt, but I think I acquired a bit of lead poisoning."

Ariel winced. "That at least had to hurt. Why don't we get you to Sona and Brigid?"

"That would be wise," Selene agreed. She frowned. "Have you even _eaten,_ Helios?"

"Uh…"

" _Helios…_ "

" _Uh…_ "

"Why can't you just take care of yourself?" Selene asked, exasperated.

"Hey! I was going through a crisis!" Helios cried. "It's not like this is my real body, anyways!"

"Doesn't matter. You're marching straight to the cafeteria after you get taken care of."

He deflated. " _Fine._ Just give me a minute."

Helios turned back to the clearing. He slid down the hill, coming to a stop in front of his grandson's grave. "See you around, Rahm," he said, placing a hand on the skull. "Thanks for tolerating me."

He sighed, then turned to face the group. "I hope you're ready to get your ass kicked at Mario Kart again, Krista." He flashed an impish grin. "Unless you want me to humiliate you at something _else?_ "

"Oh I'm so ready for that rematch," she grinned only to freeze as her eyes went unfocused, "Ugh, it'll have to wait...some unpleasant business to take care of first…"

"I get that," he replied. "Probably got some to take care of myself."

"And Jarvan, for the record…" he placed a hand on the King of Demacia's shoulder as he walked past. "I'm grateful. You looked after Shyvana when I couldn't. So thank you. When the time comes, I'll look forward to having you as a grandson-in-law."

"And I look forwards to having you as a grandfather in law," Jarvan stated, "However, I do want to make a request,"

"Name it," he said. "I owe you."

"Walk Shyvana down the aisle and give her away,"

 _Shit,_ he thought. _Walked right into that one._

"Jarvan, I really want to, but…" he frowned. "Well, that's more up to her than anything else. And you know how stubborn she can be."

"All the better reason for you to get to know her better and try to clear this up," came the King's reply.

"I think someone's gotten influenced a bit by his Chosen," Cira grinned, "Before Zack, Jarvan wouldn't have _dared_ to say that,"

The King of Demacia shot her an annoyed look, to which the Radiant Dawn chuckled.

Helios looked at his sister, then at Ahri.

They both nodded.

"Alright." He said. "I'll do it."

" _But,_ " he held up a finger, " _only_ if she agrees to it. I'm not going to force it. That'd only make things worse. Deal?"

"Deal," Jarvan nodded, "I just want her to have a relationship with her only living family member,"

"You and me both." He replied.

"Hm…" Helios scratched his chin. "I feel like I'm forgetting something…"

"Oh, right!" He said. "So...listen. This is just standard procedure, but now that you know I'm her grandfather, I kinda...have to...give you the Dad Talk, and all that."

"I figured," Zack chuckled, "I thought we managed to luck out, but…"

"Oh, don't worry, it won't be _that_ bad. I know you'd never hurt her," he said. "I also know that I can't stop you two from doing...certain things."

His face went red.

"In fact, you already have, haven't you? And it's produced results." A faint smile stretched across his face. "And, well...I know why people get down and dirty besides having kids. So, unlike other parents, I know that it doesn't really count as hurting her."

"With that in mind…" Helios put an arm around the King's shoulders. "On your honeymoon, when you're _finally_ alone together, when you give it to her, you give it to her _good._ Understand?"

And that was where Cira lost it.

"Cira! That's not very ladylike!" Zack growled.

"Don't care, that's funny!" she howled.

"I mean it!" Helios said. "I'd better hear her moaning and groaning your name all the way up from Mount Targon, or else."

"God…" Zack growled, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Is it everyone that has to deal with the sun or are _all_ Targonians like this…"

Cira was cackling, but between her fits of laughter managed to get something out.

"If it goes to...the Mountain...and my kids hear it...I will give you...a thrashing…" she gasped.

"Just get them earplugs," Helios grinned. "By no means are you denying my granddaughter the happiness she deserves."

Krista, Ahri and Arthur were howling on the floor. Even Selene had launched into a giggling fit.

"Glad we had this talk." Helios patted Jarvan on the shoulder. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to see a doctor."

* * *

"Hello?" Helios called, opening the door to the Institute's hospital. "I need to get something looked at."

There was a soft plucking of strings as Brigid waved at him.

"She says that Soraka will be with you in a moment," came a lower voice as Akali looked up from tending her patient, "I'd help you, but I'm a bit busy,"

"Soraka?" Helios's face brightened at the mention. "Wow, that takes me back. I haven't gotten to talk to her in forever."

"Well, if it isn't Helios," came a soft, gentle voice as hooves tapped on the marble floor, "It's been ages,"

"Raka, hi!" His face broadened into a smile. "Damn right it has! It's been _way_ too long!"

He wrapped her arms around her in a hug, laughing softly. "You look good!" He said, pulling away to hold her at arm's length. "The support life's been treating you alright, then?"

"Always has," she smiled, "Though, as usual, people seem to take it for granted. Galen and I are used to it though,"

"That's good to hear," he replied, letting go. He smirked. "So, Galen, what's it like to be a guy stuck in a woman's body? Must be all kinds of fun, eh?"

Her golden eyes flickered dark and a blush painted her cheeks.

"Um…" Galen sputtered, "It's...I mean I'm used to being like this...it's been seven years so I've kinda forgot. Ana, Aries, and Tris are the opposite of what happened to me so it might be tougher for them,"

"I ship it."

His eyes flickered back to gold and Soraka crossed her arms.

"I _do_ have the option of not helping you, you know. Leave my Chosen alone,"

"Alright, alright," he chuckled. "Fair enough."

"So, uh…" He pulled up his shirt, putting his bloodstained chest on full display. "This is it."

"I might have to call over Shen…" Soraka hummed, "Just to get the bullets out,"

"You could just pull them out, if you wanted," he replied. "It doesn't feel like they went all that deep."

"We've learned the hard way that that could easily be a lie," Soraka countered, "They could be embedded in something that I don't want to risk accidently killing this body of yours,"

"Got a blowtorch?" He asked. "I can just use that to heal."

"No, but I could probably call over Ornn, Brand or Annie to help. I've noticed even Artemis has some fire in her as well...never seen that with Leona,"

"She's a spicy one," he smirked. "Ornn would be fine. I've been meaning to chat with him for a while anyways, antisocial as he is."

"I'll send a message to him and Ketill. Just take a seat on that bed over there,"

"Sure." He plopped himself down, waiting patiently.

"Sooooooo…" He looked at Sona and Brigid. "Know any good songs?"

She gave a smile and nodded, but gestured to her patient. He'd have to wait until she was done.

He nodded in understanding, watching her work her magic.

"I don't suppose you know how to play the brown note, do you?"

Sona looked up, wrinkling her nose at him in confusion.

"Brigid, explain it to her." He grinned. "I might have need of it later."

Sona paused slightly as her Chosen explained, and then she shot him a glare, crossing her arms and shaking her head.

"Oh, so I gotta make it worth your while, do I?" He rubbed his hands together. "Tell me, what do _you_ want? I can probably get it for you."

Her eyes flashed green and Brigid zipped her lips, grinning.

He rolled his eyes. "Alright, but this conversation isn't over, you hear? I fully plan to bring you around eventually."

"Now, about those tunes…" He said, seeing that she had finished.

She gave an innocent smile before plucking a few strings on her etwahl.

"Ah," he sighed, leaning back. "That's some good stuff. It's a shame that you can't publish your music back on Earth. They'd absolutely love you."

Her smile faltered slightly before she shook her head and continued playing.

"Yeah, I know. It sucks." He gave her a reassuring smile. "But hey, at least we're working on getting the barrier down, right? Your big break might come sooner than you think."

She reached for a pocket in her dress and pulled out a small photograph, unfolding it and handing it to Helios. Tapping the three people in it, a red-haired woman, a black haired man and a black haired teenage boy, she seemed to say: "The break is minor. This is why I want to go back,"

"Ah, right." He frowned. "Your family."

He fingered the edges, looking it over. "I guess I'll just have to get you guys back together, won't I?" He asked. "You'll see them again soon. I can promise you that much. I have faith in the Tribunal's abilities."

She wiped away a couple tears before giving another smile and continuing to play. The area started warming up as Soraka returned, opening the door.

"Oh, come now, Ketill!" Galen scolded, "You can go back to your forging after you help me,"

There was a low, rumbling growl as the Fire Below the Mountain came in, his footsteps leaving smoldering holes in his wake.

" _Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyy,_ Ornn!" Helios spread his arms. "Long time no see, big guy!"

Ornn looked at Helios and immediately turned on his heel to leave.

" _ORNN!"_ Soraka yelled, grabbing his arm before hissing and shaking it as it burned her, "I need you!"

"Hmmmm….."

"Ornn, if this is still about the salsa incident, I'm sorry!" Helios said. "It was _one time!_ "

" _Hmmmmmmmm_ ,"

"Salsa...incident?" Akela blinked as Brigid plucked a few strings.

"You don't want to know," he replied. Soraka nodded in agreement.

"Ok, won't ask…" Akela stated, turning back to her patient as Ornn's eyes narrowed.

"Ornn, really, come on, you know I was only messing around back then," Helios said. "I just need you to belch on me with your fire breath until these bullets come out, then you can leave."

"Hmmmmmm,"

"Do it and I'll swipe some of Gragas's ale for you."

"...Fine," he growled, coming over, "And spiced cherries and chocolate lava cake,"

"Done," Helios agreed.

The demigod came closer, waited for Soraka to get to them, and started to blow, gently sending a flame over the solar deity's chest while Soraka started to get Helios healed.

" _Gently_ ," he hissed. "They've been in there for a while."

"And you did not go to a healer sooner," Ornn growled, "I wonder if we demigods have more sense than you gods,"

He kept blowing and Soraka kept removing bullets.

"You might be right," he replied, wincing as the last one came out. "Though, to be fair, we try our best."

He sighed, as his wounds closed. "Glad that's over. Thanks, you two."

"Hmm," Ornn nodded, "Send the payment to my quarters," 

And with that he left. Soraka shook her head.

"Honestly, that Champion," she huffed, "But you're welcome, Helios,"

"Always glad to see a friendly face," he replied. "We should get the old gang back together sometime. We had a lot of fun back then."

"That we did,"

"Well, I'll see you around, then." He waved as he reached for the door. "I've gotta go get some grub. Bye guys."

They waved back, chuckling as he exited the hospital. Helios always left a memorable impression, no matter how long he was around.

"Oh, and one more thing." Helios poked his head through the doorway. "You might get another visitor soon, after I eat." He closed the door behind him again.

Half an hour later, Lissandra crashed through the wall, startling them both.

"So, let me ask you again," Helios said, leaning against the hole. "Who owns your ass?"

" _...You do…._ "

"Glad we had this talk."

Soraka facepalmed.

* * *

The next morning, Helios finally put his plan of retaliation into action. He started this war, and he had every intention of winning it too.

Cira's prank with the onion had been a good start, but the _best_ pranks used the recipients weaknesses against them.

So, at approximately seven thirty, Cira's screams echoed across the mountain.

The doors burst open as armored Rakkoran warriors came to see what was wrong.

"Your Radiance?! Is everything al-"

They stumbled to a halt in the doorway.

The entire bedroom floor was covered in venomous snakes. They coiled and overlapped one other in an ocean of scales, creating a tangle so thick that it stacked up to three feet high.

Cira was nearly on Arthur's shoulders, faint metallic whining coming from her as tears of terror streamed down her cheeks.

"Ci, it's ok," Arthur tried only to hiss in pain as she squeezed his shoulders a little too tightly, "just stay still and they won't come up,"

"Get them out. Getthemoutgetthemout!" She wailed, using him as a shield as her begging turned into incoherent whining.

He calmly turned towards the warriors.

"Could you find a way to get them out?" He asked, "I'll make sure she doesn't do anything,"

"I wouldn't, if I were you." They turned to see Helios leaning in the doorway, holding up his phone with a grin on his face. They immediately banged their fists against their breastplates in salute. "Those are Shuriman rattlers."

"Why doesn't this surprise me," Pantheon growled as Cira whimpered and curled up even more, "please get rid of them so that my wife stops panicking and threatening to break my collarbone,"

"Sure, one minute." He took a picture of Cira's face, his grin growing wider. "Aaaaaaaaaaand post."

"You've had your fun, get rid of them,"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it."

He snapped his fingers.

Every snake's head shot up, looking at him.

"Oi. You lot." He jerked a thumb behind him. "Thanks for your help, but it's time for you to go. Out with you."

They flooded out the door, startling the Rakkorans as they slithered over their feet and ankles. And just like that, they were gone, as if they'd never been there in the first place.

"Animals and I get along pretty well," Helios explained. "When you've created just about every species on the planet, it tends to come with certain benefits."

The golden glare he received from Pantheon was so cold, Lissandra would have gotten frostbite from it. Cira, however, slowly climbed down from her perch on her husband's shoulders before burying her head in his chest, still trembling violently.

"What, did you think I was going to go easy on you?" Helios asked. "I warned you, but you didn't listen, so…"

"You do realize she wouldn't have done anything else if you just left it at the one prank, right…" Arthur deadpanned, holding her.

"How's _that_ any fun?"

"I never said it wasn't. But now she's traumatized. She's not going to let this go and she's going to be up all night plotting how to get back…"

Helios mockingly gasped. " _Promise?_ "

Pantheon shook his head. Long nights awaited him...he was sure of it.

* * *

Meanwhile, lower down on the mountain, four people scaled and scoured the rough and strange crags.

Ashe tried to ignore the fact that there bodies seemingly melded to the side of the cliff face she was clinging to, but every time she almost got over it, she'd spy another face eroded into a last scream.

"Hey, Amelia, you coming or what?" Came the almost harsh question from Katarina.

"Sorry, it's just...the faces…" Amelia shuddered.

"Heh, yeah, Mount Targon is a scary place," Tracy agreed, offering her hand to the queen, "but don't let it stop you, look, once we're done here we can head up to the Rakkor village and see if Leo and Cira would get us some hot chocolate, alright?"

"You two going to talk the whole time or are you going to help us search," came the irritated growl from Zed.

"Aw, what happened, Zayne? Sylvia make you sleep on the couch last night?" Tracy teased.

"Knock it off, all of you," Valencia ordered from high above them, "I think I found something. Get up here,"

The other three Projects quickly climbed, their fingers digging deep into the stone rather than trying to find a handhold, and they clawed their way up to the Night Hunter. Valencia pointed down into a crack into the mountain, making out some harsh light that didn't seem natural.

"Think there's something in there?" Amelia asked.

"Think? I _know_ ," she stated, digging around the crack and revealing a wire, "I don't think that Targon is this advanced yet,"

"So we found them," Zayne growled, "let's go in and boot them out then!"

"Not a good idea," Valencia said, "One, we don't know how many are there and despite the fact we're superhuman...we could still easily get taken out. _Two_ …"

She dug around in her pocket for a second.

"While you three were screwing around down there, I did some looking around and found this,"

She showed them what was in her pocket. It was a small scrap of silver metal painted with white while a bit of a bar code was shown in the corner.

"LUC1...that's Lucian's code," Ashe frowned, "But, Jonathan is with Sienna…"

"We don't exactly just have _one_ Purifier do we?" Tracy countered, "and Janie's Arthur has been missing ever since the attack in the marketplace. That's one reason why we're looking, remember?"

"So we found him...now what?" Zayne asked.

The four were still for a moment.

"Get back to the Institute and call all the Projects together," Amelia suggested, "Valencia, you're probably going to hate what I'm going to suggest but…"

The other woman's eyes narrowed.

" _Again_?" She grumbled, "ugh, fine, but if Leona bashes me with her shield again, I will personally shoot you…"

* * *

Helios frowned, poking his head through the door to one of the Institute's atriums. The Project champions were all arguing inside, hotly debating...he couldn't tell. They were all yelling way too loud, and talking way too fast.

"The hell?" He asked. "Ahri, come take a look at this."

Her head popped out beside his.

She peered inside the room, ears twitching as she tried to listen. "Oh. I think they're prepping to Hunt," Ahri murmured. "I hope I'm not around when that happens."

"Hunt? What for?"

"Janie's Lucian is still missing. They're probably still trying to find him at this point." she explained.

"...Oh. I didn't realize he was missing in the first place." Helios sweatdropped. "Well, nobody really cares about the worst ADC in the game anyways, so that doesn't surprise me."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Helios placed his finger and thumb in his mouth, then belted out a shrill whistle. The Projects, with their heightened senses, jumped at the sound.

"Yo." He waved from the doorway. "Who forgot to invite me to the fun stuff?"

"It's not so much didn't invite you as didn't think you'd really want to see this," Violet, Vi's Chosen, shrugged, "It's not going to be pretty,"

"I still don't see why you guys are so sure you have to do this," Andrew growled.

"Because that little hideout has anti-magic defenses that would leave Summoners useless," Valencia stayed, leaning against a pillar as she inspected her crossbow, "And normal Champions would just get shredded by bullets so by that logic we're the best for it,"

"But _this_ ,"

"We've done it before," Jonathan stated, "and we're still ok,"

"I still don't like it," Andrew snapped as Caleb and Jake came into the room.

"I don't know if you remember what happened around a week ago, but you should know by now that violence and I have a pretty tight relationship," Helios said. "And...well...I'm still trying to grow a pair so that I can get around to talking with Shyvana, so I don't have much else to do anyways."

Andrew gave another growl and looked at Cira.

"What do you think of this,"

"They're on _my_ Mountain and have one of my friends. They need to be taken out," she stated, "if it takes _that_ to do this then I'm all for it. Janie? What do you say?"

"I haven't exactly done this before, but I can't just leave Arthur alone. He's pretty much all I've got left. I want to rescue him," Janie replied.

Andrew threw up his hands and turned to the Zaunite and Piltovian.

"You bring them back, you hear me…" he warned.

"They always snap out of it right after they complete their mission," Caleb dismissed, "and we can do a hard reset if they don't,"

"...Wait."

All of them turned to look at Helios.

"The hunters are hiding on the moun-"

He paused.

" ** _WHAT?!_** "

He yelled so loud that the entire Institute shook, causing the others to stumble.

Helios's body had spontaneously combusted, and the air around him was getting so hot that it melted the floor beneath him.

" ** _DO YOU MEAN - TO TELL_** _ME **\- THAT THOSE SONS OF BITCHES ARE SQUATTING IN MY BACHELOR PAD?!**_ " He roared.

Ahri slowly backed away from the room, hiding behind the door.

"Why you think we're going to rout them?" David shrugged.

"So we _wouldn't_ have a repeat of what happened with Helios and Shyv on a smaller scale? Except it'd be Cira threatening to go supernova because one of her kids got threatened?" Tracy deadpanned.

"One time and no one forgets…" Cira muttered.

" ** _TO HELL WITH ROUTING THEM!_** " Helios shrieked. " ** _I ALREADY KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO!_** "

He told them, albeit very loudly.

Andrew's eyes were blown wide-open as he blanched. Cira slapped a hand over her mouth, equally scandalized. Most of the other projects looked like they were about to faint.

"...I knew I liked him," Jhin chuckled before his Chosen took control, "shut up, Jhin,"

" ** _I swear, if they found my anime stash…_** " Helios clenched his trembling fist in the air.

Ariel's ears twitched, the two of them would have to talk about that later.

"You'll probably have plenty of people to take it out on...it's not like we're going to be able to hurt you," Dylan said, "though...I don't think that'll apply to you hurting us…"

"As long as he stays out of our way it won't be a problem," Jonathan replied.

"I could say the same to you." Helios quirked a brow at him. "It's my turf they're messing with."

"You don't know how this works," came the chuckle from Valencia, "once this goes off it's not really 'us'. We've got one thing on the mind and that's our target. Anything or anyone that gets in the way simply isn't there anymore,"

"Eh, no worries." Helios cracked his knuckles. "I can just kick your asses if you go berserk."

"Did I not just say that?" Dylan asked, cracking a smile, "It's not _you_ we're worried about getting hurt. It's _us_ if you get in our way,"

"Touché," he grinned back. "Just try to keep up with me, slowpokes. It'll be a miracle if you even manage to bag _one._ "

"We're not going for them," Shun, Master Yi's Chosen, corrected, "we're going to get Arthur,"

"More for me, then." Helios looked at Vi. "You know...assuming you can keep up, I wouldn't mind sharing."

"Sounds fun," she grinned back before her smile faded somewhat, "I...guess it's time then?"

"We're ready when you guys are," Jake said.

"I hate doing this…" Jin shuddered, tapping his fingers against Whisper.

"We all do," Cira reassured him, "But it's necessary,"

One by one they started filing off out of the room, only going once either Caleb or Jake came in to get them. Finally, it was Cira and Janie remaining.

"Do you want to go or have me?" Cira asked.

"I can go, I think." Janie mumbled.

Cira gently squeezed her shoulder.

"I'll go with you. It's kinda... _bad_ the first time,"

The younger project clenched her fist for a moment. "Okay. Let's go then, sis." Janie offered up a small smile.

"This is gonna be _so_ great," Helios said.

* * *

"Have a seat," Jake started, gesturing at a lone chair in the room.

Cira squeezed Janie's shoulder before leading her over. Janie sat down in the chair as Jake came over and started fastening the restraints.

"We've...kinda learned not to let the Projects be without those," Jake explained, "it's just so you don't hurt yourself since there's a chance you might thrash. Caleb's trying to get your code to be compatible with the others...just so they don't see you as a threat once you're reunited,"

"Aw look Viktor...this code looks like what you were capable of _before_ I came around. It's so cute and simple," Caleb chuckled from the monitor as he worked.

"I'm not cute," Janie announced with a huff as she slowly looked around the room. After a moment she asked, "Will… I remember what happens during this?"

"We...don't know," Caleb admitted, "Projects in Hunt mode tend to lose all personality traits and what makes them...well...them. You're basically the machine, not Janie Noble and not Leona. I had to kinda tweak your code a bit since Cira will be joining you...she's kinda the Alpha and having two "Dawn" Projects will probably set everyone off,"

"That's fine. As long as this'll work." Leona replied, her eyes somewhat sad. "Let's just get Arthur back."

"I agree," Caleb nodded, "so, Miss Janie, I'm going to need you to relax. The restraints aren't too tight are they? You can still feel your wrists?"

"Mhm." she took in a deep breath. "I'm trying to relax, it's a bit hard when I'm pinned though," she admitted."

"Understandable...it just goes a lot quicker if you don't fight,"

"Which is a _lot_ harder than it sounds and you know that," Cira scolded him, "honestly, Caleb, it's best you just start...this is as calm as she's going to be,"

She held Janie's hand.

"I'm right here. You can squeeze as hard as you want. But I want you to look _right_ at me ok? Don't focus on anything else, just me. Ok? Think you can do that?"

"I'll do my best." Janie stared up at Cira, though her hand started to shake a bit in the older Project's hand.

Cira started to hum, an old melody that their mother had once sang to calm them. Jake looked at Caleb and nodded. Caleb pressed a button.

A harsh, cold feeling entered Janie's chest and started to spread.

She shivered, but continued to look up, insistently trying to concentrate on her sister.

"I'm here, it's alright," Cira soothed, her words started becoming garbled, the English sounding foreign and wrong.

The older Chosen realized that and switched.

 **"You are not alone. You're safe,"** she told her.

The cold spread and Janie heard a voice, similar to her own but yet not.

 **" _PROJECT: DAY online. HUNT Protocol engaged. Mission: Retrieve PROJECT unit codename: Purifier at all costs. Teamwork with PROJECT: DAWN mandatory. Eliminate any obstacle between PROJECT unit and directive."_**

Cira watched with a shudder as the spark and light in Janie's eyes faded, becoming a dull, glowing gold and blue as a faint scarlet light flickered within the glass.

The activated project twitched, then nodded, as if confirming her cooperation.

"She's gone," Caleb confirmed, "Just Day here,"

Jake undid the restraints.

Slowly, the project stood up and took in her surroundings once more. Then, she slowly moved to head towards where the other projects had moved to.

"Alright Cira...you're the last one,"

Cira gave a sigh.

"Give me a second," she asked.

She put her hands on her hips and turned to face a pile of boxes.

"Vesper…"

The little girl poked her head out sheepishly as her mother knelt down. Vesper bolted towards her and hugged her tightly.

"Please come back…" she breathed, tears streaming.

"I will," Cira promised, "Now, you be a big girl...and keep you siblings out of trouble, ok?"

"Ok...love you Mama,"

"Love you more, Stardust," she smiled kissing the girl's head as Vesper hopped through a portal.

Cira's smile melted away and she walked to the chair, sitting down as her projector switched off.

 _"See you soon…"_ Leona said.

"See you soon, Leo," Cira agreed, focusing on the window streaming sunlight…

As a bitter cold started filling her chest.

 **So** _this_ **is going to be fun. A Project in Hunt Mode is not something you want to mess with. So some bloody fun is up ahead...especially with the assassins. Put it simply, they've done this once before and that was to hunt down a renegade Vayne who decided to run away right after her creation, seriously injuring Caleb and Jake both. And it's why Valencia and Vayne have an** **aversion** **towards going there...mainly because it results in Leona smashing her in the head with her shield.**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)  
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)**

 **Pantheon-Arthur Jonson**

 **Jarvan IV-Zack Turner**

 **Zoe- Vesper Jonson**

 **Xayah- Kristen L'Amour**

 **Rakan-Fabien L'Amour**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye (Diamond)**

 **Kalista-Krista Rhon**

 **Ahri-Ariel Royal**

 **Azir-Alexander Solaris**

 **Mordekaiser- Rex Montana**

 **Gangplank-James Flint**

 **Swain- Matthais Churchill**

 **Ashe- Amelia Whitworth (Hodges)**

 **Tryndamere- Matthew Hodges**

 **Katarina- Tracy Armstrong**

 **Zed- Zayne Umbero**

 **Jhin-Jin Jhiāng**

 **Vi- Violet Sydney**

 **Ekko- David Allen**

 **Yasuo- Dylan Cross**

 **Master Yi- Shun Gallagher**

 **Lucian- Jonathan Cross Jr.**

 **Vayne- Valencia Storm**

 **Shyvana-Sonja Chadayev**

 **Viktor-Caleb Thompkins**

 **Jayce- Jake Reagan**

 ** _Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)_**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 **Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)**

 **Leona-Janie Noble**

 _ **...And then there are**_ ** _Helios and Selene._**

 **Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!**

 **Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

 **Máriessë ar mára tecië**

 **Farewell and fair writing**

 **Elhini Prime signing off.**


	9. Chapter 9

**So now we get to have some _fun_. Well...Helios is kinda having fun. There's some fun stuff, some awesome stuff, some feelsy stuff in this chapter, but we really hope you enjoy this because we sure did writing it.**

Chapter IX

"Soooooooo…...I'm getting the feeling that I'm the only one freaked out by this whole thing."

None of the Projects replied. Helios sweatdropped. "I'll take that as a yes, then."

They'd returned to the mountain, and while he was still _extremely_ pissed that the hunters had holed themselves up inside the peak, the state of his companions unnerved him even more. They just...stood there. They didn't even acknowledge that he was there with them.

The only Project that didn't freak him out was Vayne. She was edgy as hell most of the time, so she tended to sulk and brood a lot. Her Hunt protocol wasn't really any different.

They'd only respond to him if he became an obstacle. And that would be really annoying.

But if that was the sole condition for a response….

Helios pulled out a few markers.

"Just so you know, I'm about to scribble all over you," he said. "I'll probably draw some pretty humiliating stuff."

No reply.

"...Are you _actually_ going to give me this opportunity?" He asked.

Nothing.

He shrugged. "Welp, I'll be damned if I don't take advantage of this."

Five minutes later, Helios completed his artwork, snickering.

"You know, Jhin," he said, "this might not be your kind of art, but it's undoubtedly art, all the same."

"They're _so_ gonna hate me for this once they wake up," he said.

"Alrighty, team!" He clapped his hands together. "Who's ready to save the day?"

Again he received no reply. But all of a sudden, all twelve of them bolted forwards. They'd been scanning and seeing where the best place to attack would be. Apparently they had found it.

"What?" Helios whirled around, startled. "Guys, wait-"

He sighed. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaand they're gone."

He started jogging up the mountain, in the direction they'd gone.

"And I thought babysitting was going to be _fun,_ " he grumbled. "They'd better not be hogging all the baddies."

* * *

"I don't see _why_ we're here in this place rather than at home eating pizza and watching football or something like that," a soldier grumbled.

"Hey, you signed up for this," his fellow lookout pointed out, "you could have stayed,"

"But this pays better…"

"True," his companion nodded, "Still, can't believe they managed to catch one of _them_. And one of those Projects too. You'd think they'd remember how to fight,"

"Yeah he barely put up one,"

There was a soft, rumbling growl coming from the outside entrance. It sounded not unlike a corrupted hard drive and it unnerved them both.

"What is that…" the first lookout started, edging forwards, lifting his gun.

"I don't know," the second said, raising his own weapon…

Right as a flash of gold appeared beside them, catapulting them into the air as something smashed into them.

"The _hel_ -" he choked off, staring at the heavily armored, golden glowing Project between them, her sword whirling back to her side as pain sliced through his hamstrings.

There was a pink and violet flicker. Suddenly, the first man crumpled to the ground, his head following his torso as the pink rapier hissed back to its owner's side. The second man didn't even have time to scream as a glowing crossbow bolt of violet light pinned him to the cavern wall by his forehead, the owner of the crossbow seemingly melting out of thin air.

More flickers of light emerged from the darkness, followed by Helios.

" ** _ATTENTION, IDIOTS!_** " He yelled, with burning red eyes. " ** _AS OF RIGHT NOW, YOUR LIVES JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT SHITTIER!_** "

And with that announcement, there came a whole lot more guards.

 **"Stealth is not an option anymore,"** what used to be Cira growled, **"Day. With me, find your Purifier. The rest, initiate search and destroy opponents. They are obstructions to the mission,"**

A single unified nod before the Projects scattered, leaving the two copies to search for Arthur.

Helios awkwardly looked around, alone with the guards.

"Oh, sure, leave _me_ with the people carrying guns, I see how it is," he muttered. "Really feeling the love here, guys."

" ** _RASENGAN!_** "

His eyes narrowed in confusion.

He craned his neck to the side. Some of the guards had been sitting around a TV prior to their entrance, and currently shared his feeling of awkwardness.

And playing on the screen was-

Veins bulged on Helios's neck and forehead, smoke billowing from his shoulders. His hands ignited, and the temperature rose thirty degrees.

" ** _...Is that my anime?_** " He growled.

The soldiers froze. They had the most horrible feeling that they were about to become the Runeterran equivalent of KFC…

" ** _I've come to expect a lot of things from you assholes,_** " he snarled. " ** _Murder, torture, the whole shebang. I really thought you couldn't sink any lower._** "

" ** _But now, I find out that you've just broken one of the most sacred laws in the universe._** " The hunters slowly backed away, their trigger fingers trembling.

" ** _Bro Code Rule Number Thirty-Seven: thou shalt not touch a man's anime._** " Helios cracked his neck twice.

They gulped.

" ** _Nobody breaks the Bro Code, bitch._** "

* * *

Dawn and Day ran through the hideout, ignoring the screams of pain and terror caused by their fellows and by Helios.

 **"Purifier is close,"** Day stated, pointing at the main stronghold, **"Second floor, third room,"**

 **"Acknowledged,"** Dawn nodded and they continued forwards.

* * *

" ** _DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE!_** " Helios bellowed.

A hunter promptly wet himself, before Helios grabbed him and shattered his spine over his knee.

They unloaded the magazines of their assault rifles, but bullets weren't all that effective against Helios. He waded through the battlefield, hurling fireballs and insults alike.

" ** _YOU SONS OF BITCHES ARE GOING TO THE DARKEST DEPTHS OF HELL FOR THIS!_** " He roared, throwing a hunter into a wall. " ** _I'LL GET LUCIFER TO MAKE AN ENTIRE NEW CIRCLE, JUST FOR YOU!_** "

He unleashed a torrent of flame, roasting the five hunters who were unlucky enough to be the targets.

" ** _AND ANOTHER THING!_** " Helios hoisted a hunter upwards, holding him by the collar of his uniform.

"Which episode of Naruto did you get to, anyways?" He asked.

The hunter didn't reply, stunned.

"Well, go on! I'm getting shot over here! I ain't got all day!"

"Uh...the one where Sakura tries to stop Naruto from going after Sasuke?"

"Oh, yeah, that one." Helios nodded. "That was a good one. I still like to think of it as a decent NaruSaku moment."

"Well, I actually prefer NaruHina myself. It's canon anyways, and in my opinion it's the cuter pair-"

" ** _INFIDEL!_** " Helios threw an uppercut to his jaw, sending him flying across the room. " ** _WHAT'S NEXT, YOU'RE ALL GONNA TELL ME THAT KOROSENSEI ISN'T THE BEST ANIME TEACHER EVER?!_** "

" _Who's Korosensei?_ " One of them whispered to his comrade.

" ** _YOU MOTHER-_** "

He punched them both through a wall.

"Holy shit," a hunter said. "His anger levels are over nine thousand."

Another hunter stared at him. "What?"

"Reference. For the fans."

"Again, what?"

"Noth-"

" ** _HEY!_** " Helios smashed their heads together, turning them both to mush. " ** _ONLY I GET TO BREAK THE FOURTH WALL AROUND HERE!_** "

" ** _YOU THINK I WAS ANGRY WHEN YOU WENT AFTER MY GRANDDAUGHTER?!_** " He yelled at the rest. " ** _THAT WAS ONLY LEVEL TWO!_** "

They slightly lowered their firearms, confused.

Helios sighed, his flames fading.

"Look, this is level one of my anger." His eyes flared red. "Simple enough, right?"

"This is level two, the next level up." His hands ignited, and his aura of heat returned. He now looked the way he'd been only a few seconds before.

" _AND **THIS-**_ " He screamed, " ** _IS TO GO EVEN FURTHER - BEYOND!_** "

" _HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**_ "

His body _exploded,_ becoming a manifestation of his true power. It hurt just to _look_ at him, the light radiating from him so bright that it was blinding.

The walls of the base began to melt, collecting in clumps of sludge at random points.

" ** _THIS IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU MESS WITH MY ANIME!_** " He yelled. " ** _A SHITLOAD OF REFERENCES AND A GIGANTIC ASS-KICKING!_** "

" ** _PREPARE THY ANUSES! BECAUSE I'M DISHING IT OUT!_** "

The hunters were starting to wish they'd sought out other employment options.

* * *

The two golden Projects sprinted through the base, just visible as a streak of golden light to anyone looking. Suddenly, Dawn halted, grabbing Day by the shoulder and yanking her back. The younger Project opened her mouth to question right as the wall before them exploded, a hunter crashing through it and flying towards them from the force. Dawn merely brought up her shield and the hunter landed on it with a crack, sliding down the holographic plates limply. The two looked through the newly made door to see Helios glowing brightly through it.

 **"Keep going,"** Dawn ordered, **"I will take care of this threat,"**

Day nodded and kept running, Dawn flicked her sword and prowled forwards through the hole, a low rumbling emitting from her chest. Nothing was going to stop them from their mission. Not even him.

* * *

Right as Helios was about to unlock Ultra Instinct, he received a shield to the face. He crashed into a support pillar, fracturing the stone.

" _Owwwww,_ " he groaned, picking himself up. He rolled his bruised shoulder, his cheek sore where she hit him. "The hell was _that_ for?"

No reply save for that soft, growling sound. She stalked closer, visor flashing as she raised her blade. She dashed forward at inhuman speed, aiming for his heart.

" _Whoa!_ " He yelped, dancing away from her attacks. "Do I look like a hunter to you?!"

She gave a snarl as she hacked at him again, using her shield to knock him off balance, or attempt to.

He planted his feet in the ground, holding her at bay. " _Really,_ Leo? You _honestly_ want to have a go? Because if you do, I'm all too happy to indulge you."

She shoved at him, trying to duck down and sweep his feet out from under him.

Her leg armor dented against his shin.

He looked up at her, poker-faced. "As much as I hate Murphy's Law, I guess I'm just gonna have to deal with this."

He rammed his forehead into hers, and she slammed into the back wall.

Helios glanced around the room. He'd finished off most of the guards, and the ones he hadn't killed were fleeing. He'd track them down later.

"Fair warning, before we begin." Helios struck a crane pose.

" _I know Kung Fu._ "

Her blade flickered out, catching him in the chest plate. Suddenly she was before him, bringing her shield up for a blow to the chin.

 ** _DONG!_**

His chin rattled, but didn't break.

"I think I almost felt that one," he said, unhurt. "Try again."

Undaunted, she swung her blade at his chest. While she was stronger like this...she lacked the sharp wit that she would have had. All the care and training she had in her bladework was replaced by almost animalistic rage.

Helios leaned to the right, casually dodging the strike. " _Like the great willow tree, you must fight with the wind. If you do not bend, young grasshopper, you will break._ "

More slashing, a horrible snarl etched across her face. Why couldn't she _hit_ him?! She drove her shoulder into his stomach and lifted him off the ground with a roar.

Helios hummed, frowning. "You're supposed to be benefiting from my great wisdom." He formed a notepad and pen out of hard light, jotting down notes. "Note to self: ask...Shen...for...better...quotes."

"Okay!" He clicked the pen, allowing his creations to dissipate. "Shall we continue?" He kicked her in the chest, winding her. She let go, and he plopped down to his feet on the floor.

He conjured a fireball, holding it in both hands. " ** _HADOUKEN!_** " He yelled, thrusting it at her. It shot out of his hands, hitting her where he'd kicked her only a moment before. She flew off her feet, roughly hitting the floor.

"Come on, you two!" He said. "Make me work for it!"

She struggled to get back up, sparks spitting from where she had been kicked and blasted. A mixture of blood and oil leaking from a crack there.

 ** _Structural Integrity at 75%_** read the text across her visor.

It might have been best if she stopped...But she couldn't let him stop the mission.

She dropped her shield, holding her sword with both hands as her circuits burned a reddish orange color rather than gold. She took a step forwards, her footprints a scorched mar on the stone. Her armor radiated an intense heat, making the air shimmer around her. She charged at him, swinging with a harsh, _loud_ battlecry.

"Okay, I see how it is." Helios got into a fighting stance. "Finishing move, eh? Fair enough."

His right fist ignited. It burned hotter and hotter as Leona got closer and closer, until her armor started steaming just from being in close proximity.

" ** _Serious Move Series,_** " he said, when she was right on top of him.

He ducked under her swing.

 _Hasta La Vista, **Baby,**_ Arnold Schwarzenegger's disembodied voice said out of nowhere.

" ** _SHOOOOOOOOOOOOORYUKEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!_** "

His fist connected with her jaw, unleashing a shockwave. Her visor shattered as the impact rippled through her system, causing critical damage to her armor.

Light and life flashed into her newly exposed eyes for a split second before they went dark and the harsh burning circuits sputtered, fading to black as she hit the ground, unmoving.

"And that, my young student, is why _I_ am the master," he said, placing his hands together and bowing. "If only you'd noticed the clown makeup I applied."

* * *

It wasn't much longer until Day finally reached Arthur, who was crumpled up on the ground, bruised and with dried up blood caked on his face.

It's not like Day truly noticed though. She lifted him up and put him over her shoulder, then ran back into the corridor.

"Ja...nie," the man managed before sputtering.

The project tilted her head, staring at him for a moment. The English frustrated her a bit, so she didn't reply using it. " **I am Day.** "

Hurt flashed in Arthur's eyes, due to his ability to still understand. He didn't say another word though as Day returned to Dawn.

What they saw, though, was a badly hurt, unconscious Dawn and Helios standing over her. The other Projects came up, trying to analyze what in the world happened to the Leader class.

Day moved protectively in front of her, Arthur still hung over her shoulder.

"Oh, _great._ " He sighed, rolling his eyes. "Are you guys gonna go nuts too, or are you gonna play nice?"

The project growled but made no advance.

" _What?_ " He shrugged. "It's not my fault she got triggered over a simple misunderstanding."

Still no motion from her, though the person on her shoulder groaned.

 **"Dawn is out of commission."** Enforcer hissed, smacking her fist into her palm, **"take him out?"**

 **"Negative,"** Frost shook her head, **"if he took her down, we would suffer shut down ourselves,"**

 **"Day has her teammate?"** Hunter asked, her violet glow flickering.

 **"Affirmative,"** she adjusted him on her shoulder slightly before nodding.

 **"Return to the Institute of War,"** Frost ordered.

 **"What of Dawn?"** Duelist questioned.

 **"Unknown,"** Hunter hummed, **"She is too heavy to carry…"**

"What am I, chopped liver?" Helios asked, picking her up. "I've got her, it's fine."

They tensed as he scooped her up, but with a warning hand from Frost, they settled down.

 **"He drops her we drop him, right?"** Enforcer asked.

 **"Focus on the mission,"** Hunter stated, pinging her teammate upside the head with a servo.

It seemed the Hunt protocol was starting to wear off.

* * *

"WHAT IN THE WORLDS HAPPENED?!" Andrew yelled as the rescue team came back into the Institute.

"Murphy's Law," Helios replied, dropping Cira at his feet. "It's all good, though. We finished the mission."

Andrew looked about ready to strangle him.

"She's in _pieces_!" He snapped, "Arthur is going to _murder_ you I hope you realize that."

"What do you mean, _in pieces?_ " He replied, indignant. "Sure, she's missing a bit of plating here and there, but all in all, she's mostly okay."

"I have _never_ seen her that banged up," Andrew pointed out as Caleb and Jake came in.

"Oh. My. God," Jake blinked as he and Caleb both rushed over to Cira and Arthur, "ok, _him_ I was expecting to be bad...what did you _do_ to her?"

"Visor shattered, armor cracked and missing...fried circuits...yeah this is going to take a while," Caleb frowned before looking over at Arthur, "ok...dents, some leaks, he won't take as long. You're tougher than you look, Arthur,"

Seeing how Andrew was at the moment, Helios was just grateful that they couldn't see the graffiti. The Projects had gotten themselves covered in dirt and blood, completely covering up his artwork.

He was also somewhat disappointed. He'd put a lot of effort into making Zed look like a unicorn.

There was a soft clicking sound and all the Projects jerked as if they'd been pushed.

"Wh-what?" Amelia sputtered, holding her head, "oh... _ow_ my head,"

"Ha!" Valencia laughed, "I didn't get smacked with a shield! I call that a win,"

"Ugh, we're all a mess…" Jin sighed scraping off some of the dust, "I don't know about you all, but I'm going to get a nice long shower…"

"That...actually sounds pretty good," Violet smiled, rotating her wrists, "Wait...oh _wow_ Cira got hurt...she looks like she tangled with the Mountain and lost…"

Helios looked away and started whistling nervously, hoping to look inconspicuous. It didn't work.

He got bashed with Janie's shield. "What did you do to my sister?"

"Hey! Getting bashed in the face once is enough!" He complained. "And it's not like I had much of a choice. She went berserk after I accidentally tossed a hunter at you guys. After that, well...it's kind of self-explanatory."

"You… did what?" she asked, confused.

"They raided my anime stash. They triggered me."

The chosen put a hand to her face. "You know what? I'm just gonna roll with it. They raided your anime, cool, fine, kay."

"It only took her this long, readers, but she's finally learning how I roll."

"What?"

"For the bajillionth time, nothing."

"Just...you guys get cleaned up and off, we'll take care of these two. Helios, since you broke her, I'm gonna need you to carry her to the lab so we can fix her," Jake told him as he and Caleb picked up Arthur.

"Oh, Janie...how'd it feel being unstoppable?" Caleb asked.

"I don't really remember in all honesty."

"You will...eventually,"

"It gets boring pretty fast, if I'm being honest," Helios said, throwing Cira over his shoulder. "Don't get me wrong, it's fun, but if you aren't presented with a challenge once in a while, it starts to feel a little stale."

"Hey, easy with her," Caleb warned, "don't want her damaged even more ok?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Helios waved him off. "I'm not a klutz, you know."

Caleb opened his mouth to say something, Jake heard the intake and gently whacked his friend.

"Hey, Helios, do you happen to radiate energy?" Jake asked.

"I do," he replied. "What, you want me to charge her up?"

"You might have to stay nearby...her repair systems work faster when exposed to sunlight," Caleb told him.

"Easily done," Helios said. "Just as long as it doesn't take too long. Ahri and Krista are probably gonna want me to join them at the arcade soon."

"It'll be once we're done replacing her circuits and armor, so you can probably spend some time with Ahri and Krista," Jake shrugged, "I can come get you if you want. The repairs are what will take a while,"

"Sounds good," he nodded. "I'd hate to make them wait on me."

"Oh don't worry, go ahead to your girlfriend," Caleb grinned, "as Jake said, "we'll let you know when we need you...we just need you to carry Cira right now,"

Helios's eyes narrowed in confusion. "...I don't follow. Girlfriend?"

"You and Ahri...c'mon, Krista's too cold and enjoys trolling couples too much to have a relationship herself; and the way you're always with Ahri? Seems kinda like a thing to me,"

Jake looked at him in surprise.

"I wasn't expecting to hear that from _you_ of all people Caleb,"

"Shuddup,"

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa,_ " Helios said, taken aback. "Ahri and I are just friends. Good friends, yeah, but calling her my _girlfriend_ is a bit much."

Jake and Caleb looked at each other.

"Hate to say it but I think Krista's right," Caleb muttered.

"Mhmm," Jake nodded.

But they said nothing more on the subject.

Helios frowned, pensively looking at the floor.

They arrived at the repair room and Jake and Caleb had Helios set Cira on one of the tables while they worked on Arthur.

"We'll give you a call when we need you to come in ok?" Caleb told him.

"Honestly...it's more so she's not alone when she wakes up. She's...got an issue being alone when she wakes." Jake admitted, "so go ahead and find something entertaining to do that _won't_ result in Andrew strangling you and it'll be good,"

"That really limits my options."

"You'll find something,"

* * *

"Screw this game and not in a good way," Krista snapped as the words 'Victory! Ahri!' Flashed over the screen for the _fifth_ time, "stupid dance games...give me a shooter! I'll show you how a _real_ game is played!"

"It's not her fault that you dance like a gorilla with a hangover," Helios grinned, watching from the sidelines. "At least _try_ to give her a challenge."

Ariel's eyes glittered with amusement. "Come on, I haven't even had to use my tails. And at the rate you were going I could've danced my part with you," the Chosen teased.

"Nah nah, I'm done," Krista huffed, "I might be my mother's daughter personality and looks wise...but I can't dance to save my life,"

Her opponent rolled her eyes before looking at Helios. "Want to have another go with Ahri?"

"Why not?" He walked up to the platform. " _Some_ body has to show you how it's done."

Krista rolled her eyes, but smiled anyways. She stepped off to give Helios some room while he flicked through the song list.

"Hold on…" His finger paused over a button on the screen. "What's _duo mode?_ "

Ahri grinned. "Its for two players. The parts are different for the both of them." Her tails twitched. "Wanna try it?"

He shrugged. "Might as well."

He selected it, then started flicking through the track list. "Wait…" His eyes narrowed. "These don't have separate parts at all. This is _partnered_ dancing." He looked up at her, his brow quirked. "Is there some kind of ulterior motive to this?"

Her tails puffed up, and she looked offended, though there was a slight blush on her face, barely noticeable. "No! I just thought it'd be fun…"

He laughed softly. "Relax, I was only teasing." Still, he couldn't help but notice the way she reacted. Interesting.

He hummed. "Alright, why not? I'm willing to give it a try."

Krista was practically foaming at the mouth behind them.

 ** _"Why are you so happy, Krista…"_** Kalista questioned.

"Because the ship has sailed," the Chosen grinned, "the ship has freaking _sailed_ ,"

 ** _"...But we are nowhere near a port…"_** her Champion blinked.

"Not _that_ kind of ship!" Krista sighed.

 ** _"Ah..._ that _ship,"_** Kalista hummed, **_"We are surprised it took that long for them to realize that,"_**

"I know right?" Krista cackled, "Oh...where's that phone Caleb gave me,"

 ** _"You mean stole,"_**

"Hush!" she hissed, grinning as her hand closed around a smooth metal shape, "Found it...now, just to wait for them to go…"

"I'll just put it on random and see what we get," Helios said. "I want to be surprised, this time around."

He pressed the button, letting the track list randomly shuffle.

His brow rose once it finished. "...Yow."

"The Merengue…" Ahri mumbled. She sighed though there was a smile on her face. "Let's go I guess?"

Helios chuckled awkwardly, lightly tugging at his collar. "I mean, if you want. That one's pretty, uh...well...you know."

A nod. "It'll be fine, the machine chose it and you're the one who hit random…"

 ** _"You planned this…"_** Kalista accused.

"Shush!" Krista warned, "I don't know how the thing works, what you talking about…"

The smile she was fighting to hide said otherwise though…

"Alright." Helios smiled. He looked surprisingly dorky in that moment. It was actually pretty cute.

 _Wait, what?_

Ahri shook the thought from her head. Ariel laughed, to her embarrassment, resisting her attempts to mentally silence her.

" _Desde arriba, señora,_ " Helios said, opening his arms to her. "Let's put on a show."

Ahri took his right hand in her left, placing the other hand on his shoulder. She started with a squeak when Helios's hand suddenly landed on her waist.

"Sorry!" Helios jerked his hand back. "It's just- the dance wants us to-"

"I know, you just startled me, is all."

"Good." Helios shakily sighed, smiling. "I wouldn't want to, uh…"

"Oh my _Goooooddddd_!" Krista squealed softly as she tried not to dance in place too much, jostling the phone and all.

 ** _"You are enjoying yourself, aren't you,"_ **Kalista teased.

"Yep!"

"Shush!" Helios snapped at her, though it lacked any real venom. "We're trying to concentrate!"

"Oh, right, right, _do_ go on," Krista grinned.

He rolled his eyes. " _Thank you._ "

He pressed a button on the screen, indicating that they were both ready to begin. The song _Rabiosa_ started playing as the music of choice.

"Hoo." Helios said. "That's a good one."

Their dance began, and Krista's jaw dropped.

* * *

"Yo, Cira." Helios's muffled voice pierced through the depths of Cira's conscious mind. "You awake?"

"NO! GET AWAY!" she screeched, flailing as she snapped awake, panicking as her fist collided with his face.

When her breathing and heart rate stabilized, she realized that she wasn't in the lab and wasn't being ripped apart again...her golden eyes turned shocked and embarrassed as she saw Helios clutching his nose.

"Helios...I...I'm _so_ sorry…" Leona stammered.

" _Geez,_ Leo," he said, "watch your right hook." She hadn't drawn blood, to her immediate relief.

"I am sorry…" she repeated, before giving a groan and holding her head, "Ahhhh it hurts...Did Caleb and Jake take my visor?"

"Well…" he winced, "I...might've been responsible for that."

She frowned before her face went even paler.

"I attacked you…" she whispered, "I didn't…"

She put her head in her hands.

"I deserved that," she muttered as the memory came up, "I very much deserved that thrashing…"

Helios opened his mouth.

"Eh…" He wiggled his hand. "Fifty-fifty."

She looked up, shaking her head.

"Hey," he put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't do that. It's not your fault."

He bashfully grimaced. "It's actually mine, really. I wasn't paying attention, and I threw a hunter your way by accident."

She held her arm still, quiet for a moment before looking back up.

"Is it alright if I ask you something?"

"Of course," he replied. "I _am_ technically supposed to be your counsel, so go ahead."

"It's...more geared towards you rather than me," she admitted, "I'm not angry or anything...but, where were you when they did this to me? When they took me, I prayed every day for something to happen, something to save us...I suppose something _did_ happen...but I want to know what happened,"

He sighed. "You already know the answer, Leona." He leaned back against the wall, folding his arms as he contemplated over what to say next.

"I don't know why the Boss Man does what he does," he continued at last. "And sometimes, it sucks, it just _sucks._ It hurt a lot, to have to watch you go through that. But, as much as it did, I couldn't intervene. That's just the way it was."

"We gods and the Big Boss have a...complicated relationship, to say the least," he admitted, "but we have to go along with what he says regardless. We can only hope that it's for the best, in the end."

She gave a soft smile.

"I wasn't alone," she whispered, voice slightly rough with static, "They kept telling me I was...that nothing was going to help. I'm glad I was right...even if you couldn't do anything...you did help me. When I broke out...I saw the sun for the first time since I was taken and I had the strength to break out of the lab. Thank you…"

"I may not always be there to save you, but I'll always be there to console you." Helios bowed his head. "You have my word."

"Thank you," Leona smiled, "Now, if only we can get the prank war to quit…"

"Oh, no." Helios smirked. "I have every intention of winning this one."

"That last one was cruel and unusual punishment," Leona deadpanned, "Honestly...oh...well, someone just woke up. But, I don't think she's on speaking terms with you right now,"

"She probably won't be for a while," Helios admitted. "Considering what I doodled on you while you guys were in hunt mode."

"Won't surprise me," Leona sighed, "It's more the snakes but this will probably make it worse…"

"Consider it payback for Ahri," he replied. "I think clown makeup looks much better on you, if I'm being honest. And your artwork wasn't even the most creative piece I made."

"Hm, my guess is Zed or Jhin probably have the best pieces," she chuckled.

"I made Zed a unicorn."

"Oh Aiko is going to _love_ that," Leona grinned, "However...I will probably have to stay here until it comes off...Apolla...well…"

"Fear of clowns?"

"Petrified. We've had to make sure Shaco and his Chosen Jason go nowhere near her,"

"Fair enough." Helios looked towards the door. "Jake and Caleb should be back any moment. They just had me watch you while they went to fetch some more tools." He winced. "I might've been a bit rougher than I should've been."

"I needed a good beat down," she shrugged, "Maybe once I'm all fixed up, we could do a proper sparring session where I'm not out of my mind,"

"Oh, I don't know if I'd really call it _proper,_ " he smirked. "If I'm being honest, I'm probably just going to end up messing around."

"True, but still," she smiled, "It's...hard to find someone I can actually go full out with. I've still got to hold back a little when I spar with Vi...and she's the closest I can get,"

"Just don't get mad when I wipe the floor with you each time," he replied. "I'd hate to alienate my favorite representative."

"What's that saying...what doesn't kill you makes you stronger?" she asked.

He laughed. "I guess you're going to get a _lot_ stronger, after I'm through with you."

"I don't know if I should be happy or nervous," she admitted, "Since, well...it's only a matter of time before I go…"

She gave a shudder.

"Go back,"

"Please don't mention that now," Helios grimaced. "I'd rather not think about it."

"Sorry, it bothers me as well," she told him, "I just want my kids to be safe,"

"I do too," he agreed. "We'll just have to hope for the best."

The door swung open, and Caleb and Jake reentered the repair room, each carrying at least a dozen separate tools in their arms.

"Yo." Helios waved. "She's up."

"She hit you?" Caleb asked with a grin.

"Caleb…" Leona growled.

"Once, but no worries. She hits like a wimp."

"You didn't say that when I hit you with my shield," she pointed out, "I am sorry about that, though,"

"Leona, please, let me try to maintain my masculinity," Helios complained. "I'm just a poor god trying to maintain his dignity in front of his followers, is that so hard to ask?"

"And I have my own reputation to protect as well," she smiled innocently.

"Didn't I trash that already?"

"Just my pride,"

"One down, one to go."

"Pride is easily repaired, reputation not so much. And since I'm going to be stuck here for a bit. I might as well torment you a little. Call that a little gift my Chosen rubbed off on me,"

"Bring it on, Sunshine," He said. "I'll show you why I'm the master."

"Oh no, I got you back already. Those first pranks were mine," she smirked, "Once is good enough for me,"

Helios folded his arms tighter, pouting. "Dammit. I had my schemes planned out and everything."

"Oh Cira is out for blood," Leona pointed out, "that last prank more than ever sent her over the edg- Cira that is not a nice thing to say! I don't care if he started it,"

" ** _Give in to your anger, Cira. It will only make you stronger._** "

"...she says to tell you she's...why would you be proud to...Alright alright I'll tell him. 'I'm proud to be Rebel Scum, Imperial Dog'. I think that's the right way to say that?"

"I'll make a meme out of you yet," Helios replied.

" _Bring it on_ Mr. Sunny Sunshine _Memelord,_ " came the growl from a blue-eyed Leona before Cira let her Champion take back control.

"...Why do I have the most awful feeling something bad is going to happen…" Leona said slowly.

"Eh, you're probably right," he conceded. His gaze flicked to the clock on the wall. "Well, you have a good one. I've got other things to do, and Caleb and Jake probably need to give you a tuneup anyways."

"More like give this back," Caleb said, holding up the helmet and showcasing the repaired visor, "added a couple things, so one, it'll be easier to take off. I noticed it still causes you pain to take it off,"

"Thank you," Leona nodded, "I was going to ask, but I didn't want to bother you,"

Helios waved goodbye, heading out the door.

* * *

"Got any threes?" Lenny asked, chewing on his cigar.

Amber gave a wry smile.

"Go fish!" She grinned.

Lenny gave her a sour look and drew a card.

"Lenny, do you hav-" Vivian was cut off as the door slammed open and Krista ran into the room, "Krista?"

"You guys have _got_ to see this!" She squealed coming over and plopping down next to her commander.

"But our game!" Amber whined, "I was winning!"

"This is better!" Krista countered, showing what was going on via the phone's screen.

Unlike her friend, Vivian and Camille were well experienced with the fine arts. They immediately recognized the Merengue, but it took them a moment to realize that it was _Helios and Ahri_ who were dancing.

Lenny's cigar dropped from his mouth. Amber's deck followed, but she was too busy goggling at the screen to care. Even Vivian was stunned.

Helios and Ahri were not only dancing the Merengue, but practically grinding up against each other while doing it. Their movements flowed elegantly one moment, then transitioned to sharp staccato in another. Both of them were too focused on each other to notice that they were being filmed, apparently. Their dance was passionate, intense, and, if they were being wholly honest...somewhat erotic.

"Well then…" Vivian blinked, "I was not expecting that,"

"Like I said, I ship it," Krista grinned, "Even _my_ cold dead heart fluttered,"

"You have a heart," Lenny smirked only to get smacked upside the head by Krista, "OW!"

"Least I'm not shrivelling my lungs up," she retorted.

"You don't even need 'em!"

"So?"

"Children…" Vivian warned, getting them both to stop, "...Krista you are going to be showing this to the whole of the Institute, aren't you…"

Krista gave a sly, _evil_ smirk.

" _No_ , what _ever_ made you think of something like that?" she blinked, still looking like the cat that ate the frigging Thanksgiving Turkey, "I would never, _ever_...send it to just _one_ ,"

* * *

Five minutes later, while lounging near the food court for no reason save his own amusement, Helios checked the top trending posts for the day on his phone.

His brow furrowed at the top spot, then shot up.

... _Whoa._ He and Ahri were really... _moving._ He was obviously aware of the Merengue's tendency to get spicy during performances, but he hadn't been aware that they'd been moving like _that._

And the way Ahri's hips were moving…

 _NO!_ Helios mentally slapped himself. _BAD HELIOS!_

Great. Now everybody was going to know about this. At least it couldn't get any worse.

"Brother dear, I think we need to talk."

He jumped in his chair, turning to see Selene pointing the screen of her own phone at him.

"It would seem that you've been busy." Her eyes narrowed. "Care to tell me what you're doing in this video, exactly?"

He squirmed, clearly uncomfortable. "I don't know what the problem is. We were just dancing."

"You misunderstand. I'm not angry," she replied. "I've been watching the two of you for the past several days. I'm more surprised that you would jump into a relationship so suddenly."

"Gods, not you too," Helios groaned. "We're not in a relationship. We're just friends."

"Helios." Selene tilted her chin down, staring at him. "Might I remind you that you're a shameless flirt?"

"Yeah, so?"

" _So,_ since you met Ahri, you haven't charmed a _single_ woman," She said. "Not one."

He opened his mouth to speak.

His mental gears stopped turning for a second.

 _Oh,_ he thought, once they'd started working again. _How about that? She's right._

"I'm not going to say anything more. Just be careful from now on, alright?" Selene asked. "You know how the other gods can be about things like this."

She waved him off when he attempted to reply. "Again, I won't say any more. I just hope you know what you're doing."

She turned to leave, then paused.

"Oh, and have you talked to Shyvana yet?" She asked.

His silence said everything.

"I thought so. Better get on that, hmm?"

She was right, loathe as he was to admit it.

Ahri would probably be freaking out over their dance, too.

This was gonna _suck,_ he was sure of it.

* * *

 _"Ahriiiii_ ," Ariel whined. "Stop scrolling through our old selfies on Instagram. I want to watch YouTube."

"But we looked good in these," the champion huffed, "You can always watch videos."

"And you can always look at our selfies."

Ahri was quiet for a moment. "Touche."

Ahri left the app on the phone and opened up YouTube, letting her chosen scroll through the videos. Not seeing anything on their regular feed that seemed interesting, she moved to the trending videos and froze.

"Ahri… is that us?"

The two pressed on the video and watched their dance from the arcade, where the two of them had danced the Merengue with Helios. The longer the video went on, the more red the nine tailed fox's face got. By the end of the video she was practically a tomato.

"Did we actually…" One of the two asked. It was impossible to tell at this point.

"Apparently."

After that, the two sat in silence for a moment until Ahri let out a shriek and the two dove under the covers.

What had she been _thinking_? Had she been thinking? Ahri should've realized at some point during the dance that something like that would happen, but apparently she hadn't been aware enough. She _had_ to let her emotions get to her and insist on doing that stupid song.

Helios had to have seen it by now and, to be frank, she was slightly worried about what his response would be. Who had even… _Krista_. For a moment, the fox seethed, but took in a deep breath.

"You okay, Ahri?" Ariel tested.

In a low, slow voice Ahri replied, "I'm fine, but I believe we have a certain spectre to speak with."

* * *

 _BANG! BANG! BANG!_

"You're enjoying yourself," Sarah, Miss Fortune's Chosen, pointed out as Krista blew yet another hole in the target on the screen.

"No one challenges me, so having someone _actually_ play a shooter with me is nice," Krista huffed as Sara twirled her own gun and pointed it at the screen as she cracked her gum.

 _BANG!_

"Dang," Sarah huffed, "Just missed it,"

"Yeah, this one's a bit tricky," Krista admitted, "But it's a tad predictable,"

She pointed the gun at the screen and pulled the trigger while still looking at Sarah, nailing three bullseyes as they popped up.

"...You've gotta teach me how to do that," she muttered.

"Lots and lots of practice," Krista smiled.

 _SLAM!_

Krista and Sarah looked up to see Ahri and Ariel stalk through.

"Oh...I think _someone_ saw your video," Sarah blinked.

"Krista…" the chosen nearly hissed, one eye gold, the other blue.

"What was that." The way it was phrased was a statement, not a question.

"Y'know...you two should be on _Dancing with the Stars_ ," Krista grinned, "That was pretty good. Coulda sworn my heart actually started beating again,"

She looked at Sarah.

"Though...my camera work is kinda shaky...guess I won't be winning any Oscars anytime soon…" she pouted.

The fox growled. "Why? And did you somehow _know_ it would happen? How did you know to record us?" she asked question after question, leaving no time to respond.

Krista whistled innocently, the quality of her voice making it sound slightly unnerving.

Her ears twitched as they picked up the sound, but it only added to the irritated look. Finally, Ahri seemed to get up and suddenly dashed forward towards Kalista's chosen.

Krista gave a loud cackle and dodged the fox, her hand flying out as a pillar of Black Mist materialized behind her. She gave a cheeky smile and small wave before falling backwards into it.

Her tails fluffed up against the cold of the Mist and she huffed. "Stupid spectre…" she muttered as her eyes finally reverted to purely gold.

"To be fair...you both dance really well," Sarah told her.

Ahri let out a huff. "She didn't _have_ to record us though."

Ariel replied to her though, "But we both know Krista will be Krista."

* * *

"OUT!"

The maids scattered, avoiding the thick plume of smoke that threatened fire, but had nothing but embers. The door slammed shut and Shyvana growled, flopping on her bed with not so ladylike grace.

 _"You didn't have to yell,"_ Sonja told her.

"I wanted to be alone," came the muffled reply.

 _"What, you want me to leave too?"_

"You can't, we're stuck like this," Shyvana pointed out, "Not that I'm complaining though…"

 _"I feel so loved,"_ Sonja smirked, _"But seriously...they were only trying to help. I mean, yeah, I get you're still pissed off. I would be too,"_

"Oho, 'pissed off' is an understatement," Shyvana growled, "I apparently have _one_ family member that's alive and _doesn't_ want to kill me...and was _there_ or _around_ but never _helped me out_ when I was starving and running for my _life_ ,"

 _"Shyv...it's ok. I mean...you're fine now. You're getting_ married _to probably one of the best guys in Runeterra. You're going to_ rule _. How many people you know_ wouldn't _want to be in your situation?"_ Sonja reasoned, _"I mean...yeah, mean inlaws, but still. I...kinda want our kids to know their grandpa, so can you at least_ talk _to Helios?"_

"Hmph," Shyvana huffed, still refusing to move from her position.

There was a knock on her door.

"If it's another person questioning about my health, they're going to see why you don't disturb a sleeping dragon," Shyvana hissed as she got up off the bed and opened the door.

She froze.

Helios stood in the doorway.

"We need to talk."

 **Well, this is going to go over about as well as a lead balloon...**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)  
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)**

 **Pantheon-Arthur Jonson**

 **Jarvan IV-Zack Turner**

 **Kalista-Krista Rhon**

 **Ahri-Ariel Royal**

 **Ashe- Amelia Whitworth (Hodges)**

 **Katarina- Tracy Armstrong**

 **Zed- Zayne Umbero**

 **Jhin-Jin Jhiāng**

 **Vi- Violet Sydney**

 **Ekko- David Allen**

 **Yasuo- Dylan Cross**

 **Master Yi- Shun Gallagher**

 **Lucian- Jonathan Cross Jr.**

 **Vayne- Valencia Storm**

 **Shyvana-Sonja Chadayev**

 **Viktor-Caleb Thompkins**

 **Jayce- Jake Reagan**

 **Miss Fortune-Sarah Flint**

 ** _Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)_**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 **Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)**

 **Leona-Janie Noble**

 _ **...And then there are**_ ** _Helios and Selene._**

 **Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!**

 **Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

 **Máriessë ar mára tecië**

 **Farewell and fair writing**

 **Elhini Prime signing off.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Now to continue from that cliffhanger. Will Helios and Shyvana reconcile? Will the wedding go off without a hitch? What pranks will come up this time? RaFO (Read and find out)!**

Chapter X

"We need to talk," Helios stayed.

Shyvana looked at him...and then promptly slammed the door in his face.

Helios sighed. "Alright, fair enough. Guess we're doing this the hard way."

He grabbed the doorframe and ripped it off its hinges, setting it down in the room as he crossed the threshold.

"What, did you think I wasn't serious?" He asked. "I know you don't have a high opinion of me at the moment, but I didn't just come here to mess with you."

"Go away," Shyvana growled, "Yes, you're right, I _don't_ think very highly of you. Can you _blame me_? Get out of my room,"

He sighed. "Well. In that case."

He tapped a finger on his cheek. "Hit me."

She stopped, blinking and frowning.

"What." she blinked.

"You heard me." He tapped the spot again. "Right here."

Her eyes shifted color and Sonja crossed her arms.

"I'm not going to hit you. Shyv might, but I'm not. Why do you want us to hit you…?"

"What, you scared?" He asked. "Some dragon you are."

One eye shifted amber and both Champion and Chosen punched the deity square in the nose, dragonfyre crackling around their fist.

He staggered back a step, but didn't fall.

"Come on, I barely felt that," he said. "Again."

She gave a roar and came at him again, landing blow after blow after blow. After the fifth or sixth blow a hot tear streaked down her cheek as her punches became fueled by anger mixed with sorrow rather than pure rage.

Helios shrugged it off, unimpressed. " _Again._ "

She kept going. After about an hour and a half of her hitting him, her blows started becoming half hearted, gradually weakening until she fell to her knees, tears streaking down her face harder than ever.

Helios stroked his jaw from where she'd knocked him on his rear. She hadn't left a bruise, and by no means did it hurt as much as Leona's punches, but he still felt the force behind them. If he'd been a regular guy, they would've stung. A lot.

"Hell of a punch," he complimented. "Your father would be proud."

She said nothing, but the grief on her face was _very_ visible. Even after all these years, she still felt his death as if it were only a few minutes ago.

She started when she felt something brush against her cheeks. Helios was gently wiping her tears away with his thumb. She was so surprised that she didn't think to pull his hand away.

"I always hated it when you cried," he said. "Still do, even now." Her grief was mirrored on his face.

"Look…" He sighed. "I know you don't want to talk to me. I completely understand why. But... _please._ At _least_ allow me this. I'll answer whatever questions you have. I swear it."

"Plus," he sucked in one side of his lip, "Jarvan wants me to give you away at the waiting. I'd hate to disappoint him."

"That man...sometimes I swear…" she sniffed before looking up at him, " _Why_. Why did you leave me...why didn't you help me…"

"The same reason I couldn't help everyone else," Helios replied, "because of some bullshit rule my boss made because who-knows-why."

Thunder suddenly rumbled overhead.

" _OH, **REALLY?!**_ " Helios yelled. " _AFTER ALL THE STUPID SHIT I'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS, **THAT'S** WHAT SETS YOU OFF?!_"

"Maybe it's not a good idea to tick off your boss…" Sonja stated slowly, "he probably had his reasons…."

"Oh, I'm sure he did," he grumbled. "It's not like it cost me my grandson's life or anything. _Oh wait._ "

She said nothing.

"But in all seriousness…" he huffed, "there hasn't been a day that's gone by where I don't regret what happened. You have every right to be mad. I should've done more."

"When Yvva killed him, I-" he cut himself off, growling as the memory caused flames to sprout along his arms. "I was about ready to return the favor, right then and there. Out of all my offspring, Rahm was my favorite."

He sniffed, and to her surprise, Shyvana realized that tears were welling up in his eyes too.

"But _dammit,_ then I would've had to deal with the consequences, and that would've only caused you more pain. I would've been replaced with someone else. The only time when stars _can_ intervene is when another star screws up." He shuddered. "Then they're allowed to make... _adjustments._ I couldn't handle that, so I watched, as much as it hurt to do so."

"And when you tore out Yvva's heart…" he chuckled darkly. "I had _never_ been prouder of you. She'd had it coming for a while.

"So _believe me_ when I say this." His expression became pained. "I am _so_ sorry that you had to go through that. I'm so sorry that you had to suffer while I sat on the sidelines. And I want you to know, that as weird as it sounds...I love you, Shyvana. I've loved you from the second you hatched from your mother's egg. You have exceeded my every expectation, and I will always be proud of you, no matter what."

The Half Dragon's eyes turned soft and she did something not many would expect her to do. She embraced him.

"Thank you…." she whispered.

Helios immediately returned the hug with a crushing embrace of his own. He couldn't help himself, really. He'd waited too long for this. But his granddaughter was strong, and she either didn't notice or didn't care. It didn't matter, either way.

Then he did something unexpected. He raised his lips to her forehead, gently kissing it. He pressed his nose into her hair next, nuzzling her while one hand ran over her back. He was acting like, well...a father.

Shyvana was happy with that. It'd been so long since she'd had anyone treat her like a father would his daughter. It made her happy...but there was a snap of sorrow that shot through her that brought the tears back.

"I just...I wish I could have told him I loved him one last time…" she whispered softly to herself.

"I know," he said, holding her close. "I miss him too."

Her eyes darkened and Sonja gave a hum.

"Do you...think that Dianne or her son could let us see him?" she asked, "To get some closure? I don't know if she can do that but…"

"I could ask," he replied. "It couldn't hurt to try. I'd do anything to make you happy."

"I think it would make us _all_ happy," she smiled.

"I'll see what I can do," he promised. "But, for now, I believe you have a wedding to plan."

"Right," she nodded, "It's almost done...I just...need to get a dress. That's what I was looking for on that day…"

He grinned. "I _might_ have some ideas for that."

"I just...I've seen what they want," she wrinkled her nose in distaste, "But it's not me. I'm not one of those stuffed shirt nobles. Think you can help me?"

"Trust me." He rubbed his hands together gleefully. "I'm going to make Jarvan _salivate_ when I walk you down the aisle."

"Just...make sure it's fine with the idea of being Queen. I don't want to make it seem too...well," she shrugged, "I want to look the part,"

"Oh, I can do _that_ just fine," he giddily replied. "Here, listen to this-"

He told her in elaborate detail what he had in mind.

She grinned.

He was right. Jarvan was going to _love_ this.

* * *

A week passed, and it was finally time.

The wedding was to take place in the cathedral near the heart of the capital. It was the biggest in the entire city, able to house nearly half of its residents. A crowd of millions had already gathered, flooding into the building as the final preparations were made. Hundreds of lit candles lined the walls inside, bathing them in a soft golden light. A choir of children filled the stands behind the altar, ready to herald the bride's arrival. Demacian banners had been strung up above the candles, flanking the altar on both sides. It was a festive event, and the crowd was abuzz with excitement.

Selene's request for tighter security had not gone unfulfilled. Members of the Dauntless Vanguard stood vigilant at every available entryway, and patrolled the streets surrounding the cathedral in a loose ring-shaped perimeter. Not only that, but they were joined by Trifarian legionaries, by order of Jericho Swain himself. Katarina had appealed to his empathetic side, and after a lengthy discussion, he had agreed to send men from the Immortal Bastion, as well as attend the wedding in person. He wasn't the only one, either. Every champion from the Institute was in attendance. Even the Void champions, though Cho'Gath and Kog'Maw had to be placed in a separate box, just in case.

Jarvan nervously fiddled with the collar of his tuxedo, making sure he looked presentable.

"Stop, you look fine," Garen told his friend, "besides, it's not like she's going to care if it's crooked. She's just happy you'll be here,"

"Weren't _you_ the one who spazzed out at yours because you couldn't get your tie straight?" Zack asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Mine was different. My wife would have probably stabbed me," Kaiden chuckled, "Projects hurt if you get hit by one,"

Zack looked over the crowd.

"When is this going to _start_?" He muttered.

"Knowing my brother, probably at the most opportune and dramatic moment," Selene replied, shaking her head next to him. "You know how he is. He must have something special in mind, if it's taking this long for them to arrive."

"Makes sense," Zack sighed.

" ** _LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE WAIT IS OVER!_** " Helios's voice boomed.

"Aaaaand there it is," Selene said.

" ** _SHUT IT! THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD!_** " He replied.

She rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything more.

" ** _YOU WANTED IT, YOU ASKED FOR IT, AND NOW IT'S HERE!_** " He continued. " ** _HIT IT, KIDS!_** "

The choir started singing, and Jarvan automatically straightened his posture, fiddling with his tie one last time.

" ** _FRIENDS, NOT-FRIENDS, AND EVERYBODY IN BETWEEN…_** "

Sunlight flooded in through the windows, gloriously illuminating the room. Stardust sprinkled through the air overhead, glittering in the golden light.

" ** _I GIVE YOU…_** "

Cira shook her head from where she and her family sat, amused. He just couldn't help himself, could he?

" ** _THE BRIDE!_** "

The central doors, which had purposefully been left shut during the seating process, swung open. Jarvan, Garen, Selene and the priest had to momentarily shield their eyes from the sudden flare of light that filled the room.

Jarvan's eyes bulged as it faded, his jaw slackening.

"Oh, _my…_ " Selene murmured. "He certainly outdid himself this time."

Shyvana stood in the doorway, her arm locked with her grandfather's. Her dress was the color of sunfire, shimmering and shining in the midday light. From the waist up she was adorned in golden-orange armor. It wasn't unlike what she usually wore, but it was purely for the occasion. It was slimmer, hugging her curves more firmly, and was rounded out where there would normally be jagged edges. It also held notable Targonian influences in its design, particularly the intricate Solari patterns that flashed around the edges. Her arms had no sleeves, only bracers that adorned her wrists. On her brow sat a golden circlet, similar to Irelia's in design. Her hair had been tied back in a single braid, stardust woven into the fibers so that it glittered. Thin armored boots wrapped around her legs, stopping just short of the knee. Her dress opened up at the thighs to properly put them on display. Helios had received a bit of inspiration from his sister.

Jarvan was completely and utterly starstruck. Shyvana was absolutely radiant. She exuded the grace and serenity of a proper bride, but underneath lay the pride of a warrior. A partner worthy of the King.

"You're drooling just a tad," Garen chuckled and Jarven shook himself, not taking his eyes off his bride.

Shyvana locked eyes with him and smiled happily as she came closer. Upon closer inspection...she was nearly strangling the bouquet from nerves. She made it to the altar and she turned to face the King.

"You...look…" He tried to find the right words but none of them fit.

"You're quite handsome yourself," Sonja smiled,"you knew I wouldn't be caught dead in that floofy death trap they presented to me,"

"Yeah," Zack nodded as he held her hands and the priest started the ceremony.

In the crowd, the children of the Champions shifted as children do when being forced to sit still. Each varied in how bad their boredom was, but it was becoming evident that it was going to become a problem.

Eon looked up at the altar, his eyes staring at something no one else could see. Death's son turned to his mother and gently tugged on her fur.

"Momma, why is there a giant dragon u-"

"Later, dear," Dianne shushed him.

Eon gave an adorable grumbling whine but fell silent as his sister tried her best _not_ to nod off as she laid against her father's side.

Nearby, Vasher gave a huffing growl and suddenly turned and hung upside down from the pew.

"Vasher!" Ashe hissed, gently yet firmly grabbing her daughter and righting her.

Her daughter sent a frosty green glare at her, but a glowing ice-blue glare from her mother met it. The little princess started kicking the pew in front of her, getting an annoyed glare from a Demacian Noble.

" _Vasher Ingrid Ashesdotter,"_ Ashe snapped, putting a firm hand on her daughter's shoulder, "Sit still!"

"I'm _booooooooored_!" Vasher whined.

"You'll live," Amelia grumbled, "See, Torin is being good,"

"Torin is a goody-two shoes and _boring_ too!" Vasher retorted.

Sejuani started snorting and her sister gave her a steely glare.

"Don't. You. _Start_ ," Ashe growled, voice lacing with static.

Meanwhile, Apolla was swinging her legs back and forth in boredom. They were too short to hit anything, unlike Vasher's. But still, it didn't escape others' notice. Suddenly, she gave a sharp yelp and started tugging on her mother's arm.

"Mama! Ares pinched me!" she whined.

"Tattletale," Ares grumbled.

"Ares…" Pantheon warned, "Do we need to go outside,"

" _No_ …" the boy huffed.

"What's taking so long?" Artemis whispered.

"Dunno," Zoe shrugged, "But I don't see Umbra or Evelynn _anywhere_ …"

"What you wanna bet they're eatin' the cake?" Artemis grinned.

"Umbra would be!" Zoe giggled.

"Hush you two," Leona chided before looking up at the altar and muttering to her husband, "They _are_ right...it is taking rather long,"

Her husband shrugged.

"Perhaps that is how Demacian weddings are?" he suggested, "I mean, they're not going to be short and to the point like Targonian ones with a massive celebration that lasts a week…"

"True...but this is a bit excessive…"

Helios gently nudged Jarvan from where he stood.

" _So, how'd I do?_ " He whispered, clearly pleased with himself.

Jarvan said nothing, just having eyes for Shyvana.

"You got him staring with his mouth open and slightly drooling," Kaiden chuckled, "I'd say you did good,"

He snickered. "I only produce the highest quality waifus."

"I wish he'd hurry up," Kaiden muttered, "Tracy's starting to look anxious. I think she can hear Gabriel start…"

There was a soft crying noise coming from the congregation and a blonde woman stood up, cradling a red-haired infant who was bawling. Katarina watched as her mother in-law carried her son outside, but she looked like she wanted to follow...however...being a bridesmaid…

Lux shifted on her feet, the heels that had been picked already starting to bite into her feet. She looked at Fiora, who just calmly stood.

" _How_?" she whispered.

Fiora gave a sly grin and tapped her foot against the marble with a metallic click.

"Still too long _ma amie_ ," she sighed, "Wish he'd hurry up,"

Quinn's eyes narrowed.

"...He's stalling," she pointed out.

The priest paused. Helios's eye twitched, while Jarvan glowered.

"Please get on with the wedding," Jarvan growled, "We've been waiting for vows for nearly an hour,"

The priest sputtered.

"Y-Your majesty there are certain traditions…"

"Which you've already done," Jarvan pointed out.

"Traditions, _my ass,_ " Helios snarled. "I don't know why, but you're trying to drag this out."

Terror flashed over the man's face.

"Alright, _asshole,_ who put you up to this?" Helios demanded.

His eyes flashed to a group seated near the back right. Jarvan's family.

"...Why am I not surprised…" Jarvan growled.

"I'll deal with _you_ later," Helios scowled, leveling a finger at them warningly.

"In the meantime, you've gotta go," he told the priest.

"Go?" He blinked, "but…"

Helios sharply whistled.

Vivian was suddenly behind the priest, kicking him into the air. She jumped up and spiked him down towards Lenny, who, as an army veteran, was naturally prepared. He held a giant sack wide-open, letting the priest fall into it. He tied it shut, then threw it to Krista, who tossed it into a cart that had been randomly left outside. She kicked the cart, and it flew downhill, followed by the screams of the priest.

There was the sound of a gigantic splash.

"Was that the lake?" Selene frowned.

Helios sighed. "As much of a dirtbag he is, I don't want him to drown. Amber, can you take care of it?"

Amber grinned and went down the street to get the poor man out of the water.

"Still needs a bath," she said to herself, splashing him with water and making him sputter even more before she went back to the church.

Jarvan's family looked furious, but a smoldering glare from Helios cut them down.

"Everything taken care of? Good." Helios walked up to the altar, standing in front of the bride and groom. He snapped his fingers, and his outfit morphed into formal Targonian robes.

"Right. I guess I'm taking over then," he said mirthfully.

"...Oh no…" came the mutter from _several_ Champions.

" _What?_ " Helios spread his arms, indignant. "I'm not going to screw this up! For _once,_ I'll actually be serious."

He smiled at Jarvan and Shyvana. "I think we've waited for the marriage vows long enough."

"Jarvan, do you take Shyvana to be your wife? Do you pledge to share your life with her, and to comfort her, honor her and keep her in sickness and in health, in sorrow and joy, so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," he smiled, holding her hands gently yet firmly.

"And do you, Shyvana, take Jarvan to be your husband? Do you pledge to share your life with him, and to comfort him, honor him and keep him in sickness and health, in sorrow and joy, so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," she said firmly, squeezing his hands as he did the same.

"Then, by the power vested in me by the Head Honcho himself, I now pronounce you husband and wife." His smile glowed with pride. "You may now kiss the bride."

"About time," Sonja muttered as she and Zack kissed each other.

The crowd went wild, cheering and applauding as the couple went down the aisle way. The Dauntless Vanguard all raised their swords and created a tunnel for the new King and Queen.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen," Helios spread his arms in declaration, "it's time to _celebrate!_ "

* * *

The reception was held in one of the many ballrooms of the palace. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, scattering the light with flecks of rainbows from the candles. Swaths of blue, silver, white and gold were splashed throughout the room. It was a beautiful place. A massive, five tier wedding cake sat on the table not far from what seemed to almost be a buffet table filled with all sorts of delicacies. No expense was spared for this momentous occasion.

Helios embraced his granddaughter. "You have no _idea_ how proud I am right now."

"Thank you...for everything," she smiled, positively glowing with happiness as she returned to her husband's side, letting him wrap his arm around her waist.

"Always happy to do my part," he returned her expression, then jabbed a finger at Jarvan's chest. "And _you -_ remember what we discussed a while back. All the way from Mount Targon, you hear?"

"What's he talking about?" Sonja asked as Zack's face went _very_ red.

"Don't worry about it…" he muttered, though to who he was saying it to was up in the air.

"He wants Jarvan to thoroughly ruin you during your honeymoon," Selene smirked. "And I don't mean that in a negative sense."

"I thought you were the good sibling…" came the King's sigh through his hands while his newly made wife chuckled.

"Oh come now Jarvan, we both know that it's going to happen anyway," she replied. "I'm only helping things along."

"Speaking of helping things along…" Helios started rolling up his sleeves (he'd changed into a tuxedo with a red shirt underneath before the party). "I need to go have a little _chat_ with the in-laws, so that they don't stir up trouble again."

"Don't hurt them too badly, they're still family," Zack told him with a grin.

"Oh, don't worry. The beatdown I'm going to deliver will be nothing short of affectionate," he said, marching over to where they were grouped.

All of them winced, as he proceeded to dish out his own special brand of tough love.

"You think they're going to cause us any more trouble?" Jarvan asked his bride.

"I don't think so," Shyvana grinned, "If his temper's anything like mine, probably not a good idea to set it off _again_ ,"

Selene laughed. "Even after all these years, the blood of the sun still runs hot in its descendants."

Helios walked back, ordering himself a glass of champagne. "I don't think they'll be a problem anymore," he said. He had a few bloodstains on his knuckles. "They're a bit miffed, but we managed to get everything sorted out."

"Well, at least there are no lost ears and no one died," Javan deadpanned, taking a sip of his own drink.

"Oh I'm wondering what Demacian Noble is going to try and court Fiora...remember the _last_ ball that happened at?" Shyvana grinned.

"I'm trying to erase that memory…" he admitted, "I'd never seen anyone fly across a room that fast from a backhanded slap because he touched her backside. Nor have I ever seen anyone draw a weapon so fast in my _life_ ,"

"There won't be any Demacians courting her this year," Helios said, taking a sip. "Nor _any_ year, for that matter. She's taken."

"What do you mean?" Jarvan asked only for his wife to tap on his shoulder and point.

He looked up…

" _Seamus_." Zack blinked, "No way! I didn't think he'd _ever_ find someone. And I never thought that Darius would get over Quill's death…"

"Seems like he has though," Sonja grinned, "Well...somewhat. They're still kinda not together yet. Though, I can see Krista plotting to get them together from here,"

"She plots to get a _lot_ of people together...the Troll Queen of Matchmaking is at it again…"

" _I can vouch for that,_ " Helios muttered.

"Sorry, want to say that a little louder, Helios?" Selene asked, a brow raised.

"Nah, it's not important," he replied.

His face lit up, and he pointed at a table near the buffet. "Hey, check out Jericho and Evaine."

"They're nearly holding hands, that's a new record for them!" Sonja cooed, "Hmm, maybe we should actually start the dancing so that we can poke fun at other ships,"

"I've got no problem with that," Zack agreed, "Brigid, we're ready! Ariel, you too!"

Brigid gave a smile and a thumbs up as she glided to the music stand and tapped on the soundboard, bringing the mood music to a halt.

The lights dimmed with the press of another key, and spotlights shone down on the dance floor in the center of the ballroom.

Helios shot a sidelong glance at Shyvana, the ends of his mouth twitching upward. "You want me to go with you first, or do you want your man for a while?"

"I think it'd be best for you to go second," Selene recommended. "You're going to need a moment to adjust."

"Adjust for wh-"

He stopped mid-sentence, spellbound.

Ahri stepped up to the microphone, her hair blonde like her popstar skin. The skirts of a long, pale pink ball gown rustled as she moved. Her tails swayed behind her, and one brushed against a gold bow that was around her hips, like a wrapped present almost. Her ears twitched a bit at she saw Helios, but she quickly looked away and gave a thumbs up to Brigid.

The woman gave a nod and started the song. As Ahri began to sing, one of her pure white tails tails curled around the microphone's stand and she held it close to her.

 _"Everybody's on the same page_

 _No new chapters_

 _We'll never change_

 _Everybody wants to be cool, yes they do_

 _And I'm just like them_

 _But I won't be no fool_

 _I guess I could waste all my time and my money_

 _Just trying to look right_

 _But it doesn't change who I am in my heart if I look like a dime"_

Jarvan took his bride and the two danced on the floor, contentedly holding each other.

 _"So I want you to close your eyes_

 _Sing to the world tonight_

 _And show them what's beautiful_

 _I don't care what they think_

 _No I'm not listening_

 _Cause I know I'm beautiful_

 _So close your eyes,"_

The crowd was silent, watching with smiles and pride as the two whirled around the dancefloor. Shyvana's dress brushing against the marble floor with light whispers.

"Ahri's putting on quite the performance, hm?" Selene said softly to her brother.

"Yeah," he replied, keeping his gaze glued to the vastaya. "She is."

 _"Sh-sh-show them what's beautiful_

 _Sh-sh-show them what's beautiful_

 _Come on, show them_

 _Sh-sh-show them what's beautiful_

 _Sh-sh-show them what's beautiful"_

Selele placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You should tell her how you feel," she said. "Stop beating around the bush."

"What? _No!_ " He replied. "Like I said, I don't- I-"

He sighed. "Okay, fine. I don't _love_ her or anything, but…there's something there. I don't know what it is, but...I don't know."

"So you _do_ like her," Selene affirmed.

"I- ...yeah. I guess."

 _"Everybody's born to be different_

 _That's the one thing that makes us the same_

 _So don't you let their words try to change you_

 _Don't let them make you into something you ain't,"_

"Then for _gods' sake,_ do something about it," she replied. "She clearly feels the same way, and it'd be rude not to act on that."

"What makes you think she likes me back?" He asked.

" _So I want you to close your eyes_

 _Sing to the world tonight_

 _And show them what's beautiful_

 _I don't care what they think_

 _No I'm not listening_

 _Cause I know I'm beautiful_

 _So close your eyes"_

She facepalmed. "You can tell when some random girl off the street has an interest in you, but when it comes to someone _you_ like, you're clueless? What kind of dunce are you?"

"Hey!" He said. He folded his arms, sulking. "You don't have to be so on-the-nose about it."

" _Sh-sh-show them what's beautiful_

 _Sh-sh-show them what's beautiful_

 _Come on, show them_

 _Sh-sh-show them what's beautiful_

 _Sh-sh-show them what's beautiful"_

"I know that you've seen the way she looks at you sometimes," she said. "Or rather, the way she _doesn't._ The poor thing gets so flustered whenever she sees that you're staring."

"Then what do you suggest I do?"

"Talk to her," she replied. "If not that, at _least_ ask her to dance."

He frowned, contemplating what she'd said. "I'll think about it."

That would have to do, for now.

 _"_ _Show the world the you inside_

 _Raise your voice and close your eyes_

 _Cause you're beautiful_

 _Come on and show the world the you inside_

 _Raise your voice and close your eyes_

 _Cause you're beautiful_ _"_

After a moment, Helios felt something gently tug on his tuxedo jacket. "Mister…?" a small voice asked.

He looked down to see Eon standing there. "Oh. Hey," he said. "What can I do for ya?"

The child pointed behind the man. "Why is there a giant dragon following you?"

He frowned. He didn't see anything. "There...isn't."

"Oh…" Eon sounded slightly disappointed. "So it's a spirit. I guess only mama and I can see it."

"You... _what?_ " Eon was already walking away before Helios's question could be answered.

He shook it off, watching the dance approach its end.

 _"So I want you to close your eyes_

 _Sing to the world tonight_

 _And show them what's beautiful_

 _I don't care what they think_

 _No I'm not listening_

 _Cause I know I'm beautiful_

 _So close your eyes"_

The crowd cheered as the song finished, the newlyweds' dance with it. They cheered louder when Shyvana pulled Jarvan into a searing kiss, which he immediately returned.

Ahri smiled, then slowly walked over to the corner of the stage to get a drink from a bottle of water that she had.

Shyvana looked at Helios as she pulled away. Brigid looked at him expectantly.

Selene nudged him with her elbow. "Well? Best not to keep her waiting."

Helios straightened his tuxedo, then went to join his granddaughter on the dance floor, while Jarvan was approached by his mother, Lady Catherine.

"Might I have this dance, Your Majesty?" Helios asked, offering his hand to Shyvana.

"Of course," she smiled, taking it.

They moved to one end of the dance floor, while Jarvan and Catherine took the other.

Ahri had finished with her drink and was back at the microphone. She nodded to Brigid this time to signal she was ready.

Shyvana wrapped her arms around Helios's neck, while he put his arms around her waist.

 _"She spins and she sways  
To whatever song plays  
Without a care in the world  
And I'm sitting here wearing  
The weight of the world on my shoulders  
It's been a long day  
And there's still work to do  
She's pulling at me saying  
"Dad, I need you  
There's a ball at the castle  
And I've been invited  
And I need to practice my dancing  
Oh, please, Daddy, please"_

He twirled her and swept her away before pulling her back close as the chorus rang out. __

 _"So I will dance with Cinderella  
While she is here in my arms  
'Cause I know something the prince never knew  
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella  
I don't wanna miss even one song  
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight  
And she'll be gone,"_

She looked over at Jarvan and his mother, who were waiting for their turn. She saw him step a tad closer as the second verse began and she looked at Helios.

 _"She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed  
She wants to know if I approve of her dress  
She says,  
"Dad, the prom is just one week away  
And I need to practice my dancing  
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"_

He smiled, placing a kiss on her forehead. She rested her head on his shoulder, beaming. __

_"So I will dance with Cinderella  
While she is here in my arms  
'Cause I know something the prince never knew  
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella  
I don't wanna miss even one song  
Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight  
And she'll be gone.  
She will be gone"_

He twirled her around again and spun so that he was facing Jarvan, looking over her shoulder.

 _"_ Thank you...for everything," she whispered.

"Any time, my little dragoness," he replied. "Wherever you are, whenever you need me, just call to the heavens. And I will answer. _Always._ " __

 _"Well, she came home today with a ring on her hand  
Just glowing and telling us all they had planned  
She says,  
"Dad, the wedding's still six months away  
But I need to practice my dancing  
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"_

The tears streaming down her face were starting to smudge the makeup that Ahri and Lux had helped apply. Helios swung her into another, seemingly more heartfelt dance as the last chorus rang out.

 _"So I will dance with Cinderella  
While she is here in my arms  
'Cause I know something the prince never knew  
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella  
I don't wanna miss even one song  
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight  
And she'll be…"_

He nodded at Jarvan, and the King wrapped up his own dance with his mother, taking Shyvana as Helios twirled her towards him.

 _"Gone,"_ Ahri sang as Shyvana lay her head on her husband's chest and the two danced for a brief moment before kissing again as the spotlight faded on Helios and kept on the husband and wife.

Helios sniffed, wiping his own tears away as he faded back into the crowd.

"Well done," Selene congratulated, embracing him. "I'm so glad that you two could have a moment like this."

"So am I," he agreed. "And I know that I'm leaving her in good hands."

He frowned, as he remembered what Eon had said. "Did you see where Eon went? He said something earlier that I need to get clarification on."

"Right over there, with his father," She flicked her head at the opposite end of the crowd.

"Thanks." He exited the crowd, walking around to the other side.

Selene shook her head. He was up to something, he was sure of it. Ah, well. Nothing she could do about it now. She elected to keep watching the newlyweds enjoy themselves.

On the other side of the room, Eon sat curled up with a book, right next to his dad. His sister was snoozing on Nick, though he didn't seem to mind.

"Hey, Eon." Helios approached from the back. "Do you know where your mom is?"

The boy didn't respond, due to simply how engrossed in his book he was. Upon noticing, Nick chuckled and replied instead. "Dianne went to find Sable earlier. She mumbled something about a cake…"

"Thanks," Helios replied, jogging off to find them.

As he went off, a small, giggling form brushed against him, though, despite his efforts to try to see the child, nothing was there.

He rolled his eyes, but smiled all the same.

"I know you're there, Umbra," he said. "Running from your mother, are you?" Was

"Auntie Dianne. She's mad that mama and I had sweets."

"I'll swipe you some if you help me find her," he promised. "I really need to talk to her."

The little girl became visible, her brown eyes wide. "Okay!" she grabbed his hand and started running back towards where she had been coming from.

Lucky for him (not so much Umbra), Dianne had been pursuing Umbra from that direction already.

The little girl let out a squeal and went invisible, though Helios could feel her hugging a leg.

"Helios." Dianne murmured. "What are you doing with Umbra?" Her eyes glowed beneath her mask.

"Looking for you," he replied. "There's something I need to talk to you about."

He told her what was on his mind, and asked whether or not it was possible.

She thought about it for a moment, completely forgetting the shadow child. "If Eon and I work together, it might."

"Then see that it gets done," he said. "This would mean the world to her."

"I'll do my best. Speaking of Eon… I need to get back to him, Astrid, and Nick," Dianne stated, starting to walk off. After a moment though she paused and turned. "Umbra!"

Helios shook his head, chuckling as he ordered another glass of champagne. Kids would be kids.

Brigid and Sona started playing slow-dance music, as Jarvan announced that the other couples would now have a turn on the dance floor.

Right on cue, a score of Summoners and single Demacians turned to look at Ahri.

Helios froze, just as he was about to take a sip of his drink.

"Well. This is about to get messy."

* * *

Ariel took over as the mass of people encroached on her and her champion, crowding around the stage before she was even able to step off.

"There's too many people at this point," Ariel murmured. "We're going to have to dance with someone, or be considered rude, simply due to the sheer amount of people."

"Doesn't mean we want to…" Ahri replied softly.

People began to call after the champion as she finally stepped off the stage.

"Ahri! Over here!"

"Looking good!"

"Want to dance?"

The sheer chaos and noise made the fox's ears flatten against her head to try to cancel out some of the sound that burst around her.

"May I have this dance?" A smooth, yet familiar voice asked, extending a hand to her from the back of the crowd.

Ahri paused as she noticed the hand. Somehow, she felt like it would be her best choice, and yet it was somehow familiar. If she had to choose, she might as well choose her partner now. With barely any hesitation, she took the hand and let it guide her. It pulled her out of the crowd with a surprising amount of force, despite the obvious displeasure of the bachelors.

She froze, as she realized that Helios was the hand's owner.

"Hi," he said, as he swept her onto the dance floor.

"H-Helios," she stammered, her face turning a pale pink beneath her makeup.

"I hope you don't mind," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist. "You looked like you could use a hero, so…" he shrugged, with a dorky grin on his face. "Here I am."

She nearly snorted, but instead let out a sigh, as she put her arms around his neck. "Thank you for that."

"Of course," he replied. "I'll always be there to help you out."

She nodded, and unbidden, leaned into him.

His face flushed, but then he relaxed. Holding her like this felt... _good._ Part of him wasn't really surprised, but still. She smelled like lotus blossoms. Her tails occasionally brushed against him when she wasn't paying attention, and he couldn't help but take note of how soft they were. Her eyes shone like stars, twin coronas that glowed whenever she looked at him.

He could see the bachelors seething out of this the corner of his vision, but a scathing glance on his part sent them scattering.

Brigid looked up, seeing Krista pointing at the two. A smile crossed her face and she started playing.

"You don't mind dancing with me?" He asked Ahri. "You can find another bodyguard if you want. I just wanted to make sure you wouldn't have to deal with those pigs."

"No, no, this is fine." She looked at him, eyes widened a bit. "I mean I do enjoy your company and you didn't seem like a bad dancer earli-" she cut herself off, embarrassed to admit that she had been watching him.

A cheeky grin spread across his face.

"Oh, so you were _ogling_ me, were you?" He asked. "You flatter me." He'd been hesitant at first, but when it came to poking fun, he could never resist.

She sputtered, and Ariel took over, looking him straight in the eyes. "Yes." Chaos then broke loose as Ahri was back in control, her face beet red.

Helios's face turned the same color. He snapped out of it to level a glare at the bachelors that had taken offense at that statement. They backed down.

"Uh...wow." He blushed, once he'd remembered what Ariel said. "That's, uh...that's kinda neat, I guess."

A nod as Ahri tried avoiding his gaze in any logical way she could.

That was when they heard a low, warm female voice drifting above the crowd as the music changed.

 _"I found a love for me_

 _Darling just dive right in_

 _And follow my lead_

 _Well I found a girl beautiful and sweet_

 _I never knew you were the someone waiting for me_

 _'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love,"_

Their heads snapped up at the stage. Cira was at the microphone, and Krista was standing on the sidelines, jumping up and down as she squealed. Shyvana, Jarvan and Selene were also watching, equally amused.

Oh, _no._

He'd dun goofed this time.

 _"Not knowing what it was_

 _I will not give you up this time_

 _But darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own_

 _And in your eyes you're holding mine_

He deadpanned at the lot of them. _I hope you realize how insufferable you are,_ his gaze seemed to say.

They only snickered harder. Cira was too busy singing, though her smile grew.

He looked at Ahri.

She awkwardly smiled, shrugging.

He sighed, then chuckled.

 _"Baby, I'm dancing in the dark with you between my arms_

 _Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song_

 _When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath_

 _But you heard it, darling, you look perfect tonight."_

They started swaying to the beat, rocking in sync with each other's movements. Ahri readjusted her grip around Helios's neck, moving a little closer to him.

 _"Well I found a woman, stronger than anyone I know_

 _She shares my dreams, I hope that someday I'll share her home_

 _I found a love, to carry more than just my secrets_

 _To carry love, to carry children of our own,_

She bit her lip, staring down at the floor. She looked so nervous. Helios couldn't blame her. He was never going to be able to live this down, if Krista had her way.

But he wouldn't let Ahri deal with the pressure like this.

"Hey," he said softly. "You're doing fine. Just keep your eyes on me."

She looked up at him. Her lips parted, letting the tension leave her arms as she exhaled.

 _We are still kids, but we're so in love_

 _Fighting against all odds_

 _I know we'll be alright this time_

 _Darling, just hold my hand_

 _Be my girl, I'll be your man_

 _I see my future in your eyes."_

He freed her arms from his neck to twirl her around, bringing her back in. She blushed, moving her hands to his shoulders.

 _"Baby, I'm dancing in the dark, with you between my arms_

 _Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song_

 _When I saw you in that dress, looking so beautiful_

 _I don't deserve this, darling, you look perfect tonight."_

They were getting more confident in their dancing now. Their movements flowed more smoothly, unrestricted by their earlier nervousness. The music escalated higher and higher, their pulses following with it. Their eyes remained locked, both mesmerized by the other.

She was stunningly beautiful.

He was breathtakingly captivating.

 _"Baby, I'm dancing in the dark, with you between my arms_

 _Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song_

 _I have faith in what I see_

 _Now I know I have met an angel in person_

 _And she looks perfect_

 _I don't deserve this."_

The tension was too strong. The temptation too great.

His willpower collapsed, and he finally gave in.

He took Ahri by the chin, leaned in and kissed her.

 _"You look perfect tonight."_

Krista nearly fell over from the cuteness. Cira gave a nod to Brigid, thanking her, before going back to her family. Selene folded her arms, nodding with satisfaction. _Took you long enough,_ she thought.

Ahri herself was too stunned to properly react. She simply melted into him, as well as the kiss itself. Deep in her mind, Ariel was most likely teasing her, but the fox didn't mind for once when it came to this. She was happy, and, with how she currently felt? The world could go to hell and she'd be fine.

"So, um…" Helios pulled away once he noticed the song was over, bashfully rubbing his neck. "You might've already figured this out, but...I like you. A lot."

"As.. do I," she murmured, glancing away slightly, though nothing like earlier. One of her tails gently curled around her wrist as she looked back at him.

"Oh. Well." He smiled, half-embarrassed, half-overjoyed. He really did look like a dork, but Ahri liked that. Dorky was cute, she'd realized. "I'm glad that the feeling's mutual, then."

She nodded. "I was worried that Ariel and Krista might've been pushing us too hard or you might not feel the same…" Ahri started rambling.

"Hey, _hey,_ " he chuckled, interlocking his fingers with hers. He gently rubbed the fur of the tail wrapped around her wrist with his thumb, and she shivered, calming down. "They _did_ make me hesitate, but more because I didn't think you'd like me back. It's all good now, though. Selene finally made me get off my ass."

She smiled, "I can kind of see her doing that." She gently squeezed his hand as she leaned against him. "This is nice. Finally letting go of all of my knotted up feelings, I mean."

"Yeah," he replied. "It is."

She put her head on his shoulder, turning her face into him. He rested his chin on her head, running his fingers over the small of her back. She purred, the vibrations raising goosebumps under his shirt.

A bright flash stunned them both, and they looked to see Krista with the widest grin she'd ever had, holding up her phone.

"Krista, _no._ " He glowered. "Don't you even _think_ about it."

"Already thought about it," she grinned, "Annnnd it's kinda all over the Institute by now. What's the matter? I thought you _liked_ being in the spotlight?"

"Not like _this!_ " He cried. "You killed the moment!"

"I'm just helping out a friend," she replied sweetly, "A sweet moment broadcasted for everyone to see...sound familiar?"

"That was different. She invoked my wrath."

"And by doing that invoked mine _and_ hers," came the grin, "You know what they say about revenge after all,"

She gave a cheeky wave and nearly _skipped_ back to her friends.

"Ugh." He huffed. "There goes our privacy for the evening, I guess."

"It was bound to happen," Ahri shrugged. "Krista is… Krista. She would've done that at some point tonight most likely."

"Yeah, I guess it doesn't matter." He smirked at her. "We'll just have to do it over, won't we?"

He pressed his lips to hers, and she shivered with excitement, eagerly pressing back. Her tails started wandering all over him, caressing his chest, his neck, his jaw. He didn't mind, though. He rather liked the way they felt.

 _Gods, she tastes amazing,_ he thought, smiling into the kiss. She smelled like lotus blossoms, but her lips tasted like wildberries, overwhelming him with an intoxicating sweetness.

 _Gods, he tastes amazing,_ she thought, smiling into the kiss. He smelled like freshly burnt charcoal, and his lips had a spicy and smoky taste, which filled her head and left her mind in a haze.

"And, y'know, we can just take it slow, if you want," he said, once they'd finished. "I don't want to drag you into some crazy whirlwind romance or anything."

"That's fine by me," she murmured, still in a bit of a daze from the second kiss.

Shyvana watched the two, grinning and turning to her husband.

"How long you think until I have a grandmother…"

"Not sure. But I never thought that you would have one that's almost your age,"

"Me neither,"

* * *

The party continued until close to midnight. Up until that time, they'd done just about everything that was expected at a wedding. Shyvana tossed the bouquet, and to her embarrassment, Fiora was the one who caught it. Darius looked equally abashed, though he was quick to force it down after becoming the subject of Swain's amusement.

Krista waggled her eyebrows at Helios and Ahri shortly afterward, but they just shrugged it off. They were too busy making eyes at each other to care, anyways.

Jarvan cut the cake for his bride next, and it downspiraled into the two launching into a giggling fit while they shoved it into each other's faces. Helios couldn't resist the opportunity, and used it to declare a food fight, which lasted an hour.

But, eventually, it was time to call off the festivities, and most of the guests had to retire. Only the couple's closest friends and relatives remained. Helios and Ahri had vanished at some point, probably concocting some insufferable scheme. Dianne and Eon had gone too, for gods-knew-why. The rest had pulled up a table, finishing off leftovers from the buffet.

"Not that I'm complaining...but I'm almost glad the festivities are done," Zack said.

"'All the way from Targon.'" Sonja teased, making her husband's face turn red, "speaking of...where is he…"

"Probably with Ahri," came the reply, "or off doing shenanigans."

"...Vasher was here wasn't she…" Sonja asked with a bit of dread.

"She went home with her parents, still awake after all that frosting…"

"Thank _God_ she didn't meet him…"

"I think you just jinxed it, dear," Selene said, sipping from a glass of wine.

"Eventually they'll meet...and then the universe ends," Sonja sighed, "and Ashe and Tryn are going to kill me,"

"Not if Helios and Vasher drive them mad first," she replied.

"...that is also a possibility,"

"I don't even _want_ to know what those two are going to cook up," Selene groaned, massaging her temples. "I can already feel a headache coming on."

"And when Riya is fully grown…"

"We're doomed," Selene lamented.

"Hey, Shyvana?" Helios poked his head out the balcony door. "I need to show you something. Jarvan can come too."

The two newlyweds looked at each other but followed him.

Shyvana saw the others first, standing near the balcony. Ahri, Eon and Dianne were all smiling.

 _Why were they-_

She looked to her right, and she gasped, holding a hand to her mouth as her eyes flooded with tears.

"Hello, Shyvana," her father said.

He...he was _there._ He was _real._

And yet, at the same time, he wasn't. He was just as towering and grand as she remembered him to be, but his presence no longer carried the same weight. Wisps of pale smoke trailed off his form, which was a translucent white. He'd curled up near the edge, and almost took up half the entire balcony.

He gave a toothy grin. "Surprised to see me?"

She staggered forwards, reaching a trembling hand out, her breath shaky.

He nuzzled her hand, and surprisingly, his scaly skin was solid.

She let out a strangled, yet ecstatic wail and embraced him, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed.

Rahm returned the hug with his neck, laughing softly. "I've missed you as well, little one."

"H-How…" she sniffed.

"You can thank our grandfather for that," he replied, gesturing towards him with his snout. "I'd been following him around for some time, and after my presence was made known to him, he managed to pull a few strings."

She immediately ran to him and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you…" she whispered, _"Thank you_ …"

"I said I'd do anything to make you happy, didn't I?" He asked, hugging her back. "Consider this my atonement, for missing all those birthdays."

She burst into tears again.

"Dry your tears," he said, wiping them away. "This is a happy occasion. Your father's waiting for you."

She looked to see him waiting expectantly, though he was being patient about it. Shyvana came up to him and embraced him one more time.

"I'm sorry I couldn't…" she whispered, "I couldn't save you…"

"Don't be," he replied. "If I had chosen to save myself, your mother would have killed you. Faced with that possibility, sacrificing myself was the only real choice I could have made."

"Seeing you now, I am glad that I did," he smiled. "You've grown so much since I last saw you. Not in body, but in spirit. I can't really call you 'little one' anymore. You've become an impressive dragoness in your own right, which is more than I ever could have asked for."

He grinned. "And you've become a fine queen as well, from what I've gathered."

"I hope I can make you proud," she told him, putting a hand to her chest and feeling the warmth of her own inner fire, "That would make me happy...even if I couldn't do anything else,"

Rahm chuckled. "You've already done that, my child. You've proven yourself a thousand times over, ever since you arrived in Demacia. I am, and always will be proud of you, until the end of time."

His nose lowered to her stomach, nuzzling it. It tickled, and Shyvana giggled in response.

"And soon, you'll have hatchlings of your own," he said. "And I'll be a grandfather."

He looked at Jarvan. "I've never had the chance to properly thank you. You've given my daughter everything, and for that I am eternally grateful."

"She saved me, I can never repay that debt," he explained, "By whatever Providence is out there, I'm glad they led her to me and me to her,"

"As am I," he agreed. He laughed. "I never would have imagined that my daughter would become royalty!"

Helios offered his fist to him, smug. Rahm bumped it with the claw of his wing.

"Yep, they're dads alright," Sonja chuckled as her husband put his arm around her.

"I hate to say this," Dianne started, "But Rahm can't stay much longer. It takes a fair bit of magic to keep him visible and he's been wandering between living and the afterlife for a bit too long."

He sighed, smiling sadly. "All good things must come to an end, I suppose."

Rahm craned his neck towards Shyvana. She embraced his head, pressing her forehead to his with her eyes closed.

"I have to go," he said. "Your mother was wrong. You've made your ancestors proud. As I am."

She hugged him even harder.

"I love you, Father," Shyvana whispered.

"I love you too, Shyvana," he replied. "Now and always."

White smoke started trailing from him in excess, completely enveloping him. When it dissipated, he was gone.

"Shyvana?" Jarvan asked, "Are you alright?"

She gave a nod, tears still streaming, but a sweet smile on her face.

"I'm sad...but happy…" she whispered, "I'm at peace now. Just like I hope he is,"

"He is," Dianne promised.

Helios smiled, wrapping an arm around Ahri's waist. She leaned into him as he pulled her close.

He sighed contentedly. "That was a pretty damn good way to end the evening."

"That it was," Jarvan agreed.

"You certainly looked like you enjoyed it," Helios told Shyvana. "I guess that means I picked out a decent present for the wedding, huh?"

"You did," she nodded, smiling.

He yawned. "Oh, geez. It's getting late, even for me. Probably about time that we turn in." He snickered down at Ahri, who looked about ready to pass out.

"It looks like my lady needs to head home too," he added humorously. "I'll see you guys later."

"And remember: _all the way from Targon_ , got it?" He reminded Jarvan.

Zack facepalmed while Sonja snickered.

"You gonna take your shift now, sis?" He asked Selene, who was standing in the doorway.

"Naturally," she replied. "See you in the morning, everyone." She faded into silver light.

A soft snoring told them that Ahri had fallen asleep. He laughed, but softly, so he wouldn't wake her.

"I guess this was a little _too_ late, even for her," he said. "G'night, everyone."

They replied in kind, watching as he and his new girlfriend faded into golden flames.

Shyvana smiled, leaning against her husband.

Her life was completely and utterly perfect.

* * *

Helios opened the door to Ahri's room, carrying the vastaya in his arms. Spotting her bed, he gently laid her down upon it, pulling the covers over her.

There was also the matter of her dress. It wasn't really something to wear to bed. He snapped his fingers, and flames momentarily engulfed her body. When they faded, she was dressed in a nightgown, her hair and tails back to their normal color.

He smiled affectionately. She was adorable like this. Her lips had parted slightly, her tails automatically curling up to act as additional pillows and blankets.

He had a girlfriend. And an extremely attractive one at that.

 _Wow._

How had he gotten so lucky?

He shook his head, chuckling. He leaned in, gently pressing a kiss to her lips.

"Sleep well," he said. "I'll see you in the morning."

He exited her room, quietly shutting the door behind him.

He paused, as something occurred to him.

His space sprouted a mischievous grin.

He transported himself to Mount Targon shortly after, standing directly on the peak. He leaned his head in the direction of Demacia, listening.

A short while after, he heard it.

Jarvan had gotten started early.

" _My man!_ " Helios said.

 **Next...the world ends. Songs used: "Close Your Eyes"- Meghan Trainor, "Cinderella"- Steven Curtis Chapman, "Perfect"-Ed Sheeran.**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)  
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)**

 **Pantheon-Arthur Jonson**

 **Jarvan IV-Zack Turner**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye (Diamond)**

 **Sion-Nick Diamond**

 **Kalista-Krista Rhon**

 **Ahri-Ariel Royal**

 **Ashe- Amelia Whitworth (Hodges)**

 **Katarina- Tracy Armstrong (Darkhound)**

 **Fiora-Victoria Meraux**

 **Lux-Amelia Pond**

 **Quinn-Seluna Rossignol (Armstrong)**

 **Garen-Kaiden Darkhound**

 **Evelynn-Sable Witchbriar (Delmont)**

 **Shyvana-Sonja Chadayev**

 ** _Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)_**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 **Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)**

 **Leona-Janie Noble**

 _ **...And then there are**_ ** _Helios and Selene._**

 **Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!**

 **Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

 **Máriessë ar mára tecië**

 **Farewell and fair writing**

 **Elhini Prime signing off.**


	11. Chapter 11

**And now the universe ends...**

Chapter XI

Vasher sat in the corner, crossing her arms and pouting as she slipped down in her chair.

"You know you're supposed to sit up," her twin brother told her, "Mother said,"

"But it's _boring_ ," Vasher groaned, thunking her head against the wood, "Why can't they finish up already…"

"'Cause Aunt Sejuani made a tribe mad and Mother and Father are trying to fix it," Torin stated, his almost luminous blue eyes watching the scene intently.

"You're so... _boring_!" his sister huffed.

"I just find it interesting," Torin shrugged.

Vasher gave a sly grin and tugged on her brother's shirt.

"Hey, Torin?" she asked.

"Hmm?" he replied, not taking his eyes off the people in front of him.

"If I told you I always tell lies, am I telling the truth?" she asked.

Torin frowned, Vasher could almost hear the gears turning.

"Well...if you told me that then you would be telling the truth...but that would also be a lie because if you were a liar you couldn't be telling the truth. But then that also makes you _not_ a liar because you'd be telling the truth that makes you a l-l-liar again. But y-y-you're t-t-telling the truth…"

He kept going on and Vasher watched in almost savage glee as her brother seemed to lock up and then black out.

"YES!" she crowed, "GOT HIM AGAIN!"

"Vasher!" came her mother's yell as she quickly came over to her children, picking up the glitched, slightly sparking Project child and patting his cheeks, making him wake up.

"...Hi," Torin blinked, "Did I…"

"Vasher what have I told you about doing this to your brother?" Ashe scolded.

"But it's _fun_!" she whined, "And I'm bored!"

"Room. Now," Ashe ordered, looking up at some of the guards, "Please make sure she _stays_ there until this is over. And could one of you take Torin to the infirmary, I'll be there shortly,"

The guards nodded and took the children before Ashe returned to her husband and sister's sides.

"What am I going to do about that child…" she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

* * *

Vasher huffed, flopping onto her bed. It wasn't _fair._ Why couldn't she just have a bit of fun every once in a while?

It was only when she looked up that she noticed the dark silhouette hanging from her ceiling.

She opened her mouth to yell, but it had already dropped down onto her bed. It latched a hand to her mouth, preventing her from crying out. Her curtains were closed too, so no one would be able to see her. Neither could she see the figure in front of her.

" ** _Vasher Ingrid Ashesdotter,_** " it whispered, its voice oddly distorted. " ** _I have been watching you for some time._** "

 _What does this thing want?_ She thought, beads of sweat dripping from her brow.

" ** _Your knack for chaos and mayhem is unparalleled,_** " it continued. " ** _In all my years of existence, I've never seen one with talent such as yours._** "

Ice started forming along the hand at her mouth, as Vasher's powers started to awaken. A handy gift from her mother. But to her shock, its hand started getting warmer, warm enough to melt her powers away.

" ** _That's not going to work on me,_** " it said. " ** _But don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you._** "

It chuckled darkly. " ** _Oh_** _no, **I have** plans **for you, Vasher. Your skills would be of great use to me.**_ "

" ** _So, with that in mind, I only have one thing to say._** "

It leaned in, and Vasher recoiled, shying away from it.

 _Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods…_ She thought frantically.

And then…

It revealed itself to be a grinning Helios.

"Do you know da wae?"

* * *

Leona felt a chill crawl up her spine.

She couldn't tell what had been the source of her nervousness, but something had made her shudder.

 _"He's done something…"_ Cira growled.

"What?" Leona asked.

 _"Helios…"_

"What makes you think that?"

 _"I just_ feel _it,"_ Cira huffed.

"You're being paranoid. Honestly, Cira!"

 _"Can you blame me…"_

"You haven't enacted your prank yet,"

 _"Don't care! He's done two on me already and I've only done one!"_

Leona shook her head and went back to her work. She'd decided she wanted to do something to remember her family by for when the time came. So, with her mother's guidance, she'd taken up weaving. Currently working on a tapestry that featured their family of six. She'd gotten about a quarter of the way through, working on the sky and the mountain.

Perhaps...perhaps it would be able to snap her out of it once again.

 _"I don't want to go back,"_ Cira whispered.

"I don't either," Leona agreed, "But I've noticed and I'm sure you have too...there's moments where the world just...it seems off,"

 _"I have...I wonder if the others have felt this too?"_

"I don't know," Leona admitted, "But, if all goes well...we can stop it. Maybe we won't have to go back,"

She gave a bitter laugh.

"Who am I kidding…" she finally said, a tear streaking down her face as she put her head in her hands and sobbed.

* * *

Helios really had no idea why he was so nervous. It was just lunch.

 _Yeah, but it's also a date,_ his inner consciousness reminded him. _A date with Ahri._

Fair point.

They'd both agreed on a sashimi place that Akali worked at. It sounded intriguing enough, and it had to be good if a champion had a part-time job there, right?

He waited near the entrance, dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans with sneakers. It was only a casual date, so there was no need for anything fancy.

When his date finally arrived, he immediately backtracked on that idea.

Because _damn,_ she was drop-dead _gorgeous._

She was wearing a red button-up blouse, with a tight black skirt that went all the way down to her knees. She wore thigh-high stockings and black heels to complete the set. She'd used a hair tie to hold her jet-black locks in a ponytail, though she let two strips of hair fall down to frame both sides of her face.

She noticed him staring, and she blushed.

"Uh...hi." Helios said, still spellbound.

"Hi," she fiddled with one of the loose pieces of hair. "Are… you, um, okay?"

"Yeah." He replied. "Just...you look beautiful, is all."

Her cheeks went slightly brighter, evident even with her blush. "You look nice too." She stepped closer to Helios. Trying to avoid any more slight awkwardness, she pulled him towards the door. "But… let's go in already."

Unbeknownst to him, the _real_ reason she was so hasty was so that he wouldn't notice her eyes meandering over his arms, and the way his biceps flexed against the fabric of his shirt.

"Yo, Akali!" Helios called, just as they stepped inside. "Think your skills can match my appetite?"

The kitchen wasn't behind closed doors. Instead, it sat behind a barrier in the middle of the restaurant, so that the guests had the option to watch the chefs cook. Akali herself was hard at work, directing the others as needed.

"I'm a little busy right now," she called, "I'll get to you in a second,"

He shrugged. A waiter came up to them, asking where they'd like to be seated. After a short discussion with his girlfriend (he was still getting used to calling her that), they decided to sit out back, in a patio owned by the restaurant. They could still see inside the restaurant, but they still had fresh air.

Helios felt a tingle on his neck.

"We're being watched," he said.

The red-hot glares of every guy without a girlfriend in the market were searing into his skull.

Ahri sighed. "Its… to be expected with mine and Ariel's reputation." A tail curled around the back of her chair. "We'll probably just have to ignore them."

"I don't really mind being the nemesis of single men everywhere." He leaned back in his chair, grinning. "If I get to date the sexiest woman alive, I'd say it's a fair tradeoff."

Her eyes turned blue, though the blush was still noticeable. "No matter what though, being the sun automatically makes you the hottest man alive." She grinned. "And wouldn't that mean the two sexiest people are dating?" With that, Ariel left Ahri staring somewhat blankly at Helios.

His face went red. "Erm...I guess, yeah?"

Taking in a deep breath, Ahri clasped her hands over the table. "Sorry about Ariel. But, you are rather stunning," she admitted, a smile on her face.

"Um...thanks. It means a lot that you think so," he replied, beaming bashfully.

"Alright, I'm sorry that took so long," Akali sighed, "It's been busy,"

"Nah, it's alright, I get it," he said. "Ahri, you want to order first?"

She nodded and looked to the assassin. "What's the special for today?"

"Well, I believe that it's either Friendship or California rolls," she stated, "You can thank Akela for the latter one. I've never seen someone look so surprised when we mentioned it. Poor cook…"

Her eyes flashed black as Akela gave a grin.

"The look on his face… 'what in the worlds is a "California"?'" she chuckled.

She tilted her head as she seemed to discuss with Ariel. "The friendship roll, please."

"Alright…" she wrote down on the notepad before looking at Helios and jabbing the pencil at him, "I swear if you say 'five of everything' or anything of that caliber, I'm going to stab you repeatedly with my kamas,"

Helios snickered at Ahri's choice, then pouted. "It's not my fault we gods need so much food…" he grumbled.

"What's the most filling thing you've got on the menu, then?" He asked.

"Either the Rainbow or Surf and Turf roll," Akela told him, I can get you a few orders of them, but not too many since I'm the only cook and we still have customers,"

"Three of each, if you can manage," he replied. "That should be plenty."

"Alright," she nodded, writing it down, "Anything to drink?"

"Depends on what you've got," he said. "Any recommendations?"

"Just about anything, like you probably know, we Chosens have had quite the impact here," Akela shrugged, "Though, if you can hold your liquor, the sake is quite good,"

"It's actually impossible for me to get drunk, so that sounds good," he replied.

"Really," Akela deadpanned, "You know what...I'm not going to contest that, I'll just get you that. Ahri? Ariel?"

"The two of us will just have a water, I think," the fox replied.

"Alright, I will be back in a bit," Akali nodded, walking off and leaving the two alone.

"So…" Helios said awkwardly, once the silence between them became deafening, "what exactly are people supposed to talk about when they're on a date?"

"From what I know, things about each other, to get to know about each other, but I honestly feel like that's pretty much a cliche at this point."

"And, y'know, it's not like we need to, considering," he added.

She nodded and bumped her foot against his under the table.

He looked down, surprised.

"Did you really just do that?" He asked, amused.

She shrugged, grinning at him and did it again.

He bumped hers in return, though he was careful not to hurt her.

She smirked and, then laughed as she continued their little 'fight.' Immediately after her next bump though, Ariel muttered a comment to Ahri, questioning their sanity. The fox didn't respond with more than a shrug to her Chosen though.

Helios laughed. "What are we even doing?" He apparently shared Ariel's thoughts, though with a greater degree of mirth.

"Messing around?" she suggested. "Dunno entirely; I thought it was fun."

"It was," he agreed, then suddenly leaned across the table to kiss her. She let out a squeak, then purred, leaning in to trace her hand along his jawline.

He pulled away, smirking. "I'm probably not going to get tired of that anytime soon."

Ahri's gaze seemed a bit distant as she replied, "I don't think I will either."

Helios paused, then sighed. "They're still looking at us."

"Who?" Ahri asked, a grin creeping up on her face.

Helios jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "My newfound mortal enemies. Who else?"

"I don't see anyone." She squinted her eyes as she pretended to look for them.

He deadpanned, then chuckled. What a tease.

An idea popped into his head, and his grin became mischievous. "Wanna see something cool?" He asked.

"Sure."

He squinted at the Summoners watching them, concentrating. Ahri watched with amazement as vapor began rising from their drinks, coalescing and condensating above them. When they'd finished, dozens of miniature clouds hovered over them.

Then thunder boomed in each one, and the Summoners fell victim to thunderstorms of assorted beverages.

She cackled as she watched and then looked to him. "That's amazing!" Her tails curled in delight and she reached across the table to give him a peck on the cheek.

He smiled, wiping a bead of sweat from his other cheek. "I'm glad you liked it. I can use my own heat to subtly manipulate air currents. With enough concentration, well...I can do what I just did. It takes a lot of effort, though, so don't expect me to do it often."

She nodded and began tapping the table with her nails, creating a clicking sound. "It's still amusing to watch them." She grinned as she continued doing just that.

"As long as they don't try anything idiotic, I'm inclined to agree," he replied.

"Oh!" He snapped his fingers. "Speaking of watching, I saw the match you had this morning. You were awesome."

She shrugged. "I feel bad for Azir though, his summoner was rude. Poor guy… honestly if I get picked by that summoner I'm half inclined to try to fight him a bit. Have him blame it on pathing…"

"Why does the Tribunal even keep people like that around?" He asked. "You'd think they'd want their Summoners to set a good example."

She shrugged. "I don't know what they think all the time. He'll definitely get kicked out at some point if he keeps it up, though. The more of us that bring it up, the less good things they'll have to say about him."

"Hopefully," he said. He frowned. "You know, there's actually a god of toxicity. We don't invite him to a lot of parties."

She tilted her head. "Is there actually a god for literally everything? And are they always similar to what they represent in their physical appearance? Or just you?" she teased.

"No, there's actually a god or goddess for everything," he replied with a sigh. "It's a bit of a pain to manage sometimes."

"I can imagine." Ahri leaned back in her chair, rubbing one of her ears with a hand. "Family reunions must be a mess."

"You have no idea," he said. "And to answer your question, _yes,_ we do look like what we represent. Most of us gods are physically impressive, but some more than others."

He smirked, propping his elbows on the table. "So don't expect to see a lot of gods with hot bods like mine. _These_ abs are exclusive."

She grinned at him across the table. "Good thing I claimed them then, huh?"

"Sorry this took so long," came Akali's voice as she returned with food in hand, "There was a massive rush inside...another Champion showed up and the crowd…"

She gave a shrug and set the food down.

"But it's alright now,"

"Thanks, Akali, Akela," Ahri murmured as she took her water and drank.

Helios thanked them as well, before his brow furrowed. "Wait, which champion?" He asked, just as the ninja was about to leave. "There's only so many that draw a crowd."

"Three actually, though the latter two are quietly minding their own business," Akela stated, "Draven, Darius and Fiora,"

His face instantly sprouted an evil grin.

"...Now I see where Leona gets that look…" Akali deadpanned, "What are you plotting…"

"Me? _Plot?_ I would _never!_ " Helios exclaimed. "You offend me, Akali. Don't you trust me?"

"Not as far as Deshi could throw you,"

Ariel snickered. "Helios, I think Ahri and you are already getting along better than both of you thought. You two are already in the part of the relationship where you are quoting each other." She gave a sweet smile and let out a small 'aww.'

"Well, I certainly can't complain," he replied happily. "Just means I'm doing my job as her boyfriend right."

"So, where are they sitting?" He asked Akali. "Purely out of curiosity, of course."

"Inside. Darius and Fiora are on opposite sides of the room, Draven is with his brother. Why…"

"I find it very odd that Darius and Fiora aren't sitting together." Helios started digging into his rolls with his fork and knife (they were each three times the size of a normal roll). "Wouldn't you agree, milady?"

"Indeed," Ahri said as she popped a piece of her friendship roll into her mouth. After she finished chewing, she continued. "Maybe we should see if they'd enjoy sharing a table instead of the three of them taking up two. Such a waste of space, isn't it?"

"A pity, it truly is." He shook his head sympathetically.

"...Why do I have a _bad_ feeling about this…"

"That'd be your intuition talking," he answered.

"I really shouldn't let you leave the table, should I...but you're going to and I can't stop you, aren't you?"

"What do _you_ think?" He asked. "No, of course not."

And with that, he practically inhaled his three rolls.

"...I'm going to say I know nothing of this because I would _really_ rather not have a Project angry at me," she said, walking off to the kitchen.

"Just the way I like it." He stretched his fingers outward, cracking the joints. "Alright babe, how do you want to do this?" He asked Ahri.

"Well, we always have magic, and it could be used to spice this up a bit, couldn't it? So how about you go and hang with the guys and I will…"

She made a few gestures with her hands, and he nodded in understanding.

"Got it." He went and explained the situation to Akali, and though she was clearly unhappy with it, she knew it was futile to resist, so she just agreed to go along with it. He also compensated her with his payment, which was another fist-sized diamond from Targon.

Ahri quickly downed her water, then left with the glass, careful not to draw attention to herself. She returned a few minutes later, the glass partially filled with a bright pink liquid. A stronger mixture was required for this operation, given how thick-headed the targets could be. Helios had already prepared a distraction, but that didn't really surprise her, given how fast he could be.

What she _didn't_ know was that he had an accomplice, obeying his inconspicuous gestures from the shadows across the market. It was a secret intended to be revealed later. He didn't want to spoil the surprise.

The two of them snickered to each other once they'd completed their tasks, then waited.

As planned, Fiora let out a string of curses in French as Akali "accidentally" spilled her drink on her table as she handed it to her.

"Sorry, Victoria," Akela told her, "It was an accident,"

Victoria grumbled, wiping herself off.

"Is zere anywhere I can go to get cleaned up?" she asked.

"Bathroom is that way,"

" _Merci_ ," Fiora nodded as she got up and started that way.

 _You know what to do,_ Helios mouthed, watching from his table.

"Fiora," Akali started.

" _Qua?_ " she asked.

"I can get you another table, this one's...not exactly in the best shape,"

"Fine, fine just let me get zis cleaned up before it dries and gets sticky," she huffed, "I don't want to spend three hours cleaning this out of my struts…"

 _"...Fiora, Victoria...I am_ so _sorry…"_ Akela groaned.

"Agreed…" Akali nodded.

Helios rubbed his hands like an evil genius, mentally cackling.

Akali looked at the table he had in mind as Fiora left to clean up. Draven was lounging in the booth, flipping through the menu while wearing his signature smirk. Darius was seated in the chair across from him, clearly displeased with having to spend lunch with his brother. Even more so when considering the dozens of fanboys and fangirls that Draven had brought with him.

 _Go._ Helios mouthed, motioning her towards them with his hands.

The Fist of Shadow grumbled before walking over to the two and giving a winning smile.

"Sorry to interrupt you, but you might have to take a third diner,"

"What do you mean?" Darius asked.

His brother gave him a smack to the chest.

"What he _means_ is, 'We'd be honored to take one of Draven's fans!'"

"That wasn't what I meant _at all_ ," Darius growled.

"Well, suck it up," Akela growled, glaring at Darius as the inner 'cop' came out, "the place is packed and she's going to sit here until something opens up,"

Fiora then returned from the bathroom, still muttering curses.

Her eyes landed on their table.

"...Oh _non_ ," she growled, her cheeks turning a stunning shade of scarlet, "No way."

"It's all we have due to _someone's_ entourage," Akali apologized.

"I'm not sitting with 'im," Fiora seethed, glaring at Draven.

"Then you'll go hungry," came the deadpan from Akela, "and if what Zed told us is right, you're one of the few Projects that _has_ to eat,"

There was a low metallic growl, but Fiora grudgingly came over and sat down…as _far_ away from Draven as she could. Draven looked at her with...slight fear it seemed, while Darius did his best to avoid eye contact, his ears a bit red.

"Hey, Draven." Helios walked up to their table. "Need a bailout?"

Draven snorted.

"Draven is not afraid of her," he said, though his eyes kind of said otherwise.

Fiora rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, a soft rumbling growl filtering through her chest.

"Then why do I smell urine?" He asked.

Draven shot a nasty look at Darius, who attempted to hide his laughter by coughing. The marksman got up, stiffly and walked away.

His fans immediately bolted after him, leaving the restaurant almost empty. Akali blinked, stunned.

Fiora looked at Helios, eyes narrowing slightly.

"What are you doing 'ere...and did you 'ave somezing to do with zis," she growled.

"Actually, no," he replied. "I've got a hot date of my own, so I'll be getting back to that now. Just wanted to have a shot at Draven, because he pisses me off." He waved. "Later."

"Well that is a thing…" Seamus blinked.

"I still 'ave a bad feeling about zis," Victoria stated.

" 'Hot date of my own' he said," the Hand of Noxus muttered, "Did he...but we're…"

"...I knew I smelled a rat," came the growl as the Grand Duelist crossed her arms again and glared at the direction Helios had gone, "Darius...I know we've been close, but I cannot _stand_ your brother,"

"I barely stand him either, but he _is_ family," Darius replied, "So now what,"

"I suppose we play along for a while…" Fiora grumbled, "I need to get food soon otherwise I'll shut down,"

"You waited until the last second again, didn't you,"

" _Non_!" she blinked only to shrink down as Darius raised an eyebrow, "... _Oui_...but I 'ad good reason. I've been busy,"

"Doesn't give you an excuse, Fiora,"

Fiora sighed.

"At least Akali knows what I ordered...it should be 'ere soon,"

The two of them elected to just watch Akali while she cooked. It was interesting, seeing their food being prepared up close. Neither of them felt like they had much else to say to each other anyways, so it was also a decent way to pass the time. Fiora didn't really feel like moving to another table, either. She didn't mind Darius' company.

The ground lurched beneath their feet, and they stumbled in their seats, gripping the sides of the table. Akali tripped, faceplanting in the kitchen. A torrent of Ionian curses followed.

 _...yeepyeepyeepyeep **yeepyeepyeepyeepYEEPYEEPYEEPYEEP…**_

"WHAT ARE THESE DOING HERE?!" Akela roared as a fluffy little ball of white fur hopped up on her face, licking her nose.

Fiora shrieked, while Darius staggered under the weight of poros by the thousand. Helios had erected a barrier of hard light, making sure that his girlfriend wouldn't be consumed by the flood of fur. He himself slunk through the horde, using it as cover while he snuck towards their table. He quickly applied Ahri's condensed magic to their food, the mixture quickly sinking into it. He then slunk back into his chair through his barrier, as if the whole thing had never happened.

The horde's numbers finally dwindled, and the trio was left with around a few dozen poros.

"Wha- _'ow_ …?!" Fiora sputtered, looking at one of the fuzzballs that lingered.

The poro chirped and licked her as she raised a hand to pet it, trying not to hurt it.

"I wonder…" Darius hummed, looking pointedly at Helios.

Fiora's eyes narrowed as she looked at him and then at the food.

"I swear if 'e did somezing…" she growled as her stomach growled back at her in protest, "...I don't like zis but I 'ave no choice…"

"I'm sure it's not going to be that bad," he told her.

"Hey, look at Draven!" Helios pointed. "Since when was he an exhibitionist?"

Draven preened while Darius pinched the bridge of his nose. Fiora looked at the younger brother and an evil smirk crossed her face.

"Awful small, isn't 'e?" she asked, "For someone with zat big of an ego...I was expecting, I don't know, _more_ ,"

Darius bit his lip, trying not to laugh.

Draven glared at her, muttering something under his breath. Fiora winced as she caught the word 'machine'. Darius' face darkened, like storm clouds, and he grabbed his brother by the scruff.

"Apologize," he ordered, "No, better, _get out_ ,"

Draven opened his mouth to protest, but the look his brother gave him shut him up.

He launched into a fit of screaming, however, as Helios suddenly kicked him through the roof. His cries slowly faded into the distance, until they couldn't be heard anymore.

"He'll be fine, don't worry." Helios dusted off his hands. "I kicked him in the direction of the hospital. He should be out in a few weeks."

He looked at Darius pointedly. "You owe me."

Darius nodded.

"I'm almost afraid of what you'll want in return," he said warily.

"Oh, don't worry about it," he replied, waving him off. "I'll get what I want pretty soon anyways. Now I'm off to enjoy my date with Ahri for real, so don't expect me to do you any more favors."

"...That worries me even more," Darius huffed.

He and Fiora were _finally_ able to get to their meals, heartily digging into them.

The aphrodisiac was already working its magic not five seconds after.

"Popcorn?" Helios produced a bag out of nowhere, by the power of The Plot.

She shrugged and grabbed a handful. "I don't see why not." She began to watch intently.

A light, warm feeling surged through Fiora as she looked at Darius. With a little bit of horror, she looked at her food and then at Helios.

 _"I'm going to kill him,"_ she thought.

 _"Did he just…"_ Victoria blinked.

Fiora said nothing. She tried to fight but it wasn't working very well in her favor.

" ** _Give in to the Ship Side, Fiora. It is your destiny._** "

"I'm going to stab you," she threatened.

"What's wrong?" Seamus asked, looking at Victoria, who was trying to fight the lovey-dovey feelings as he put an arm around her.

"He spiked the food…" she growled, "Like what he did with Ci-!"

She yelped in surprise as he suddenly kissed her. However, when he let go, he looked quite embarrassed.

"Victoria...Fiora I…" he stammered, "I don't know what came over me there,"

 _"...Oh forget it,"_ Fiora sighed, before taking control and giving him a kiss back.

She was none too pleased at being an object of amusement, especially since she helped with the very same thing in the first place...but it _did_ feel good kissing him.

Helios and Ahri couldn't stop laughing.

Fiora's cheeks turned scarlet as she heard it, but Darius waved them off.

"Let them laugh," he shrugged, "I don't care,"

He gave her a kiss again. He could smell the sweet, delicate floral scent of her perfume and it tasted like it as well. But there was a sharp, metallic tang under it. He knew what it was, but in all honesty? He rather liked it.

She was swept away from the smell of his aftershave, a strong, woodsy, smokey taste that made her want more...but she kept a firm hold on her emotions just as she had been trained to do for many, many years. Perhaps when they were in a more... _private_...setting.

"Oh gods, the inner monologues are priceless."

Ariel looked at him. "Should I ask?"

"Not really."

"Kay."

"OI!" Helios yelled at the two nobles. "YOU GUYS GONNA GET IT ON NOW, OR WHAT?!"

The two broke out of their kiss and glared daggers at him.

"Boooooooooo. What kind of shitty entertainment _is_ this?"

"Not your entertainment," Fiora growled, static lacing her voice.

"Fine, but I'd better see Darius Junior running around the manor in a few years, or else," he replied.

Both Champions turned a shocking shade of red as Fiora hid her head in her hands and Darius awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well, we should probably head out," Helios said. "We're both finished, and I paid already, so we'll just leave you two to get down and dirty."

Both renewed their glares.

He shrugged it off, offering his hand to Ahri as he stood. "Shall we, milady? I hear that the lake in the Ionian district's worth checking out."

She smiled as she took his hand and rested her head on his shoulder. "I think it sounds like a wonderful idea."

"Later, lovebirds." He waved at the others as they left.

The two looked at each other. Darius paid for the meal, got up, holding his hand to Fiora.

"After you," he told her, getting the Grand Duelist's cheeks to turn just about the same shade as her circuits.

* * *

The day was hot, especially since it was the middle of spring, but the lakewater was cool, and the wind produced a soothing breeze as it skimmed along the surface. The trees also provided a recluse from the glaring rays of the sun, for which Helios apologized. It wasn't something he could alter without screwing over the climate.

Helios hummed, as he strolled hand-in-hand with Ahri along the dirt path that ran beside the lake. "Leona would probably resent me if she heard me say this, but Ionia's honestly my favorite part of Runeterra."

Her gaze went from the scenery to him and her ears twitched as she tilted her head. "Why would that be? Isn't Targon your home?"

"It is, but…" He winced. "Well, y'know, it's not exactly the funnest place to be."

"True," she murmured, and squeezed his hand a bit tighter. "Why do you like Ionia then?"

A melodious twittering made them look to the tree at their right. A bird perched there on a branch, eyeing them curiously. It was small, but extremely colorful, adorned with a myriad of shades of red and yellow. The Institute had gone to great lengths to import wildlife from every region to the appropriate market districts.

"That's one reason." Helios smiled. "Targon's got some neat stuff, sure, but you won't find colors like _that_ anywhere else."

Ahri tails curled as she watched the bird. "The land is rather pretty. I don't know if it's the the magic or just naturally rich earth… the life there just flourishes."

"Both," he replied. "The soil was fertile to begin with, but the magic acts as a performance steroid."

Helios smirked at her. "You know, Ionian _people_ soak up the magic too. The land produces top-tier waifus as a result."

"Wai-?" she was cut off by a certain voice in her head, then she blushed. "Ariel just… explained…"

"I mean it," he said. "That's literally how it works. I mean, you've got Sona, Syndra, Irelia…"

He smiled, brushing a stray lock of hair away from her cheek. " _You._ "

She gave a small smile of her own and leaned forward to kiss him.

He sighed blissfully. _Gods,_ this woman was incredible.

 _SPLAT!_

Helios jerked away from the kiss, as a splotch of white suddenly splattered onto his head.

He looked up to see a pigeon fly into the trees. It didn't take much effort to figure out what happened.

" ** _YOU DAMN SKY RAT!_** " He screamed after it. " ** _IF I HAD THE CHANCE, I'D EXTERMINATE THE ENTIRE LOT OF YOU!_** "

Ahri blinked, staring at him for a moment. Her face was blank for a moment before she suddenly burst out in laughter.

" _What?_ " He asked, unamused. "You think it's funny that my head's covered in bird dookie, is that it?"

She snorted before slowly nodding as she continued her fit.

"Alright, alright," he said, "I see how it is."

He wiped some of the gunk from his hair, weighing it in his hand as he grinned devilishly.

Ahri sputtered a bit as she suddenly noticed. "Wait, what are you-?!"

He swiped his hand at her, flinging it onto her clothes.

She stared at him for a moment before shrieking, "HELIOS!" and throwing herself at him.

He laughed, dancing around her. "Not so fun when it's _you_ getting dookied, is it?"

"You are insufferable!" she continued chasing him, though her laughter returned.

He suddenly flashed behind her, sweeping her up in his arms.

"Well, if you _really_ want me to clean you up…" He said.

He waggled his eyebrows. "I'd be more than happy to oblige."

It took her a moment to figure out what she meant. Her eyes widened, and she started smacking at his arms and chest as he marched towards the lake.

"Wait! No! Not like THIS!" she shrieked, still giggling as she pounded on his chest.

"Aaaand a-one!" He started swinging her in his arms. "And a-two! And a- _THREE!_ "

He tossed her into the lake. When she came back up, the bird dookie was gone, albeit at the cost of her clothes, which were sopping wet.

Her ears were folded against her head and her nose barely peeked out of the water. Her hair clung to her face as she stared at him. After a moment, Ahri finally lifted her head out of the water. "Now my fur's gonna be a mess!"

"Remind me again as to who laughed at my new hairdo." Helios pointed at his head, which still had excrement on it.

She shrugged. "It was funny."

"So was throwing you in," he countered.

"Oh really?" she blew a kiss at him and grinned as she watched Helios begin to stumble towards her spot in the water.

"What- no, that's not fai-" He grunted, trying to shake off the effects. "Dammit why- not like-"

She smirked as she moved through the water towards him a bit, not coming all the way out and simply waiting for him to recover from her charm.

"You know, you're _really_ hot when you do that…" Helios mumbled, staggering closer. The charm's effects were actually getting _stronger._ "You should do it more of-"

She jumped out of the water and knocked him under with her, a giant grin on her face.

"GAH!" He yelped, just before she forced him underwater. He thrashed and flailed under her, but more from shock than actual panic. Eventually, she let him go and he surfaced, wiping the water out of his eyes. The charm's effects had been washed away, too. He deadpanned at her, but couldn't keep it up in front of her snickering. He broke out into a snicker of his own, shaking out his hair, which was now clean.

"Well played, woman," He conceded. "Well played."

She ended up hugging him, sopping wet tails and all. "I will admit, despite the mess, this has all been nice." She paused. "Even the bird."

He laughed. "I suppose so."

They waded into the shallows, and he pulled off his shirt, wringing it out.

Ahri paused on her way out of the water as she noticed him. She traced his muscles with her eyes and almost purred (she barely caught herself). Ariel made a small appearance in the form of another laugh escaping the fox.

"What?" He asked, with a curious smile and a brow quirked. "What's the matter?"

Helios saw where she was looking, and he let his smile widen. "Like what you see?"

Golden eyes resumed staring for a moment before she snapped herself out of it and looked him in his eyes. "Huh?"

He casually flexed his deltoids, and her eyes bulged as the muscle rippled.

Her face turned a wonderful color of red and she turned her eyes away from him.

He tossed his shirt aside and advanced on her, picking her up and wading back into the water.

She leaned against him and closed her eyes.

She yelped as she felt cold water against her skin. Helios had set her down in the lake again, albeit gently. He got down on his hands and knees, then swiftly descended to capture her lips in a kiss. She moaned into it, clawing one hand through his hair while the other fondled the muscles that had so entranced her earlier. The once again soaking wet tails curled their ways around him as she held herself tight to him, not wanting to let go.

When he finally released the kiss, Ahri let out a sigh of absolute bliss. She buried her face against his neck as he pulled her into his arms. To her delight, he'd raised his body temperature, drying her blouse so that she wouldn't get cold. They stayed that way for a while, despite how ridiculous it looked, snuggled up against each other. There was nowhere they'd rather be.

A purring sound came from her throat as she remained there. "Helios?" she asked after a moment.

"Mm?"

"Why do you like me?" she asked quietly. "We were friends and all, and I know we were close before now, but… what made you cross that final line?" Ahri's golden eyes stared into his.

He puffed out a breath of air, thinking. "There wasn't just one thing. There were a lot of factors involved, I guess. As a start...I'd say your eyes."

"My… eyes?"

"Mhm." He nodded. "They're captivating." He smiled sweetly. "I love the way they shimmer when you laugh."

The fox smiled and slowly kissed him again.

He snickered, glad that she was pleased with his answer. "I didn't finish," he said, pulling away.

"There's also your ears and tails." He brushed his fingers over the edge of her left ear, then slid it down her body until it reached one of her tails, delicately playing with the tip. She oddly seemed to like it. "I like the way they move based on what you're feeling. It's honestly adorable to see your ears fold in when you're pouting, especially when your whisker marks are considered."

She stuck her tongue out at him in a childish manner, but smiled at him still.

"But, what pushed me over the edge most of all was, well... _you._ You're always so confident in what you do. Sure, it might take you a little encouragement sometimes, but once you commit to something, you absolutely _rock_ it." His smirk was both smug and sheepish. "I like a woman who knows how to strut her stuff." For a moment, his face turned melancholy. "You're also willing to put up with my...anger issues. And that means a lot to me. It shows me how kind and considerate you really are. You're not just beautiful on the surface, Ahri. Everything _about_ you is beautiful, inside and out." He absent-mindedly scratched her behind the ears, smiling softly. "Once people started feeding me the idea, it really wasn't all that hard to fall for you."

She smiled and kissed him once more. "I'm glad."

Helios really had no idea how many times they'd kissed since they'd gotten together, but he didn't care. The readers could gag all they wanted, he had a _girlfriend,_ for gods' sake, and he was going to take advantage of that fact.

"What about you?" He asked. "What made _you_ choose _me?_ Um, not to...put pressure on you or anything. Just, y'know...curious."

She paused for a moment before responding. "To be honest, just about everything. It did start with your competitiveness when the two of us had that dance off, now that I think about it."

"So...I successfully wooed you because I'm suave, sexy and fun to be around," He concluded.

She huffed. "You're also funny and have a great sense of humor. Not to mention kind… you helped me after Cira's prank. You didn't make fun of me for it either. You just helped." Ahri slowly reached up and traced his chin.

"Clown makeup is a hell no one should have to endure," he chuckled, leaning into her hand. "I'd have been a pretty shitty friend if I'd left you hanging."

She shrugged. "You also easily deal with my…" Her eyes flashed blue. "Multiple personalities," Ariel teased.

He shrugged. "Ariel's played her part at being my wingman (wing-woman? I dunno if that's an actual thing), so it's not really an issue." He laced his fingers with hers. "As long as I get to keep doing this with you, I can handle it just fine."

Ahri smiled and squeezed his hand. "That's fine by me."

There was a buzz at Helios's hip and he frowned, reaching down to pull out his phone, which, fortunately, was waterproof. "Hello?" He said, putting it to his ear.

 _"Heeeeeeeliooooooossss! I can see you from across the lake! When are we gonna have more fun!?"_ Vasher demanded.

Ahri blinked, ears twitching as she picked up the sound.

"Vasher, I don't know if you noticed, but I'm kind of _on a date,_ " he said, exasperated. "I know that you're eager, but there's a time and place for everything."

"Va...sher?" she stared for a moment. "...The institute is done for."

"Re- _lax,_ it's not like we're going to blow up the Tribunal or anything," Helios replied. "It'll be relatively harmless, you have my word."

"Besides…" He cupped her cheek, tilting her face up towards him. "You don't have to worry about a thing. You know I'd never make you a target."

She smiled, then gave a partial scowl. "You might not, but someone else…." she glanced at his phone.

"Vasher, remember what we discussed," Helios said into his phone. "You leave the bae alone, got it?"

 _"...Fiiiiine,"_ she huffed.

"There, see?" He said to Ahri. "You'll be fine."

Ahri sighed and nodded. "Fine for now." The fox closed her eyes and simply lay there with Helios.

He sighed contentedly.

All in all, not bad for a first date.

* * *

 _Later that night…_

 _WHAM!_

The door to Singed's lab exploded off its hinges, and the Mad Chemist jumped up from his latest concoction.

"Ah. _There_ you are," Helios said with a sneer. "I've been meaning to talk to you for a while."

"What do you want," his Chosen, Alice, growled, "We're busy,"

"Oh, you know, just to chat about a few things," he snarled back, cracking his knuckles. "I was thinking we'd start with the Ionian invasion. Remember that one?"

"War is never pretty," Singed stated.

He received a left hook to the jaw in reply. He slammed back against the wall, blood spurting from his nose.

"You should know by now to watch your mouth around me," Helios said, glowering. "Especially with _your_ reputation, you damn _psychopath._ "

The Mad Chemist glared, opening his mouth to speak before stopping, listening to a voice only he could hear.

He gave a sigh.

"Again. _What_ do you want," he demanded, "The past is in the past, can't be changed. So if you are wanting to talk about long dead people I suggest you go find a Shadow Isles specter and chat with them,"

Helios didn't reply, moving to inspect the shelves, which were laden with chemicals. He picked up a vial that was oddly cold to the touch, filled with some sort of white powder.

He hummed. "White phosphorus. Dangerous stuff." He glared pointedly at the chemist. "And what might you be planning to do with something so combustible?"

"Put that down!" Alice yelled.

"Answer the question first. I know what kind of stuff you use on the Rift, Alice. This isn't it."

"Not your concern but since you're currently holding it and not going to put it down...I've been seeing what I could do with it on the Rift," she growled, "I told him that this could help us deal more damage,"

"Hm." He set it back on the shelf. "Fair enough. As for what I want…"

He pointed at the door. " _Out. **Now.**_ "

"This is _our_ lab!" she protested, "You're the trespasser here!"

Her eyes flickered and Singed shook his head.

"Alice, pick and choose your battles," he reminded her, "I _am_ an old man and he is a god. While I might be stronger than a normal man due to chemical influence _and_ you. I'm no match for him,"

He grabbed a few of his more volatile concoctions and went out.

"Right." Helios rubbed his hands together gleefully once he was alone. "Vasher, get in here. It's time for you to learn from the master."

The Freljordian princess skipped in, standing on her tiptoes as she peered over the table edge.

"How much do you know about chemistry?" He asked.

"Uh…" she shrugged, "I know not to touch 'em…"

"Toss that idea away," he replied. "It's meaningless now."

"Kay!" she nodded, "So what we doin'?"

He told her.

An evil grin spread across her fair face as her green eyes lit up.

"This'll be _fun_!"

"But dangerous," he reminded her. "We'll have to do this quietly. If we don't, your mother's going to kill us."

She nodded, zipping her mouth shut.

"Alright, now pay attention." He pulled up one of Singed's whiteboards in front of her. It looked like he'd been working on something important, scribbling down notes and chemical equations with a black marker.

Helios promptly erased every last note, and replaced it with an equation of his own, which took up the entire board.

"How much of this do you understand?" Helios gestured with the marker to what he'd made.

"Some of it," she admitted, "put the red one in the blue one and make a purple one,"

"Good! You know most of it, then." He nodded with approval. "Get the finer details down, and we're good to go."

He explained what she needed to do, then directed her to the necessary materials.

"We're going to need one-hundred fifty-six vials in total," he told her. "I'll take half the workload, so that's seventy-eight for you. Think you can manage that?"

"Kay!"

Due to their inhuman speed, they managed to finish in around fifteen minutes. They had one-hundred fifty six vials of a steaming, bubbly mixture, with a smell that made the nose wrinkle.

"Now, this is the hard part." Helios gathered up his half. "Just pour this stuff on their face, and the rest will be taken care of. Oh, and try not to wake anyone up. It might be the middle of the night, but the last thing we need is Nidalee chasing us through the halls with her spear."

"Or Momma grounding me…"

"Want me to give you some advice, Vasher?" Helios said. "Punishment only works if you comply."

"True…."

She grabbed the mixture and started out.

"And this is where it gets fun." Helios maliciously grinned.

* * *

Krista opened her eyes as her internal alarm told her to get up. Since she was dead, she didn't exactly need to sleep. However, it was one of the few things she still kept to, just out of habit. Her bare feet hit the floor and she padded to the dresser, sweeping her hair up in a ponytail, tied with a thin band of mist. She gave a smile. When she did that...she almost looked like herself back on Earth…

Except, that wasn't what she saw in the mirror.

 ** _"What is that on our face?"_** Kalista demanded.

The answer was a spectral green mustache, just as perky and bushy as Braum's. Both ends stretched across her face, and the bottom completely covered her mouth.

"...I'm gonna kill him," Krista seethed, "Cira, I'm going to help you in any way I can…"

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Institute, Ashe was shrieking up a storm, while her husband tried to console her.

"VASHER!" Ashe yelled, her form flickering to gunmetal silver and sharp edges as her Marauder skin took form.

But Vasher, as usual, was _nowhere_ to be found. Tryndamere however went to the bathroom and got out the razor, trying to shave it away as Matthew looked _very_ unamused.

"I told myself I'd never get a mustache…" he growled.

The mustache, however, would not be so easily defeated. To his amazement, it sprouted back into existence in a matter of seconds, like it'd never been shaved at all.

"...I'm going to ground that girl…" Matthew huffed.

* * *

Hailey couldn't stop laughing.

Aurelion couldn't stop cringing.

He'd witnessed the wonders and oddities of the universe thousands of times over during the dozens of millennia of his existence, yet the concept of a celestial mustache had been entirely foreign to him up until now.

"Why couldn't be have turned out like his sister…" Aurelion growled.

 _"Admit it, life would be boring if he was!"_ Hailey grinned, _"Besides, we look_ fabulous,"

"Oh _no_ he's corrupted you as well…" came the growl from the Star Forger.

* * *

Selene needed an icepack. Her migraine was coming on faster than usual.

This was utterly ridiculous, even for her brother. A glittering silver mustache didn't suit her at all. And no matter how many times she'd tried to shave it off, it kept growing back. She'd even tried using her powers to _burn_ it off, but that didn't work either.

"I'm going to go mad," she just about whimpered in her bathroom. "I'm just going to slip one day, and that'll be the end of it."

Then again, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing.

* * *

Leona had been trying to be the mediator between Helios and Cira over the course of their rivalry, but she'd just about had enough this time.

She and Cira were starting to consider living at the Institute, just so that it would be easier to throttle Helios.

 _"I_ told _you…"_ Cira preened as Leona held a quiet, in shock Artemis, who was staring cross eyed at the tiny red mustache that bloomed over her upper lip.

"Screw honor," she growled, "he's going to get it now."

 _"I really_ am _rubbing off on you!"_ came Cira's grin.

* * *

Nearly every champion in the Institute was out for blood. They'd all gathered at Helios's doorstep, clad in their nightwear (for those who wore such things), each bearing a different version of Braum's mustache. Braum himself was nowhere to be seen.

"Helios, open up!" Selene pounded on the door. "We know you're in there!"

"Come out and face us like a god!" Leona snapped.

No reply.

" _Well?_ " Selene demanded. "If you're not going to let us in, we're going to do it ourselves!"

Nothing.

She summoned her scythe. The blade flashed twice, creating an X-shaped cut in the door. She blasted the pieces apart with her powers, stepping across the threshold.

Helios's bed was empty. He'd clearly been here, judging by the shabby arrangement of the covers, but he himself had vanished.

"Where is he?" Leona asked.

"Check the food court," Selene said. "If I know my brother, and if he's not here, he's probably stuffing himself as we speak."

"Mama...what if it was Vasher?" Artemis asked, tugging on her mother's skirt.

Leona said nothing, seemingly trying to mull over that possibility.

" _It was him,"_ Cira adamantly insisted, _"it_ has _to be!"_

"But what if Artemis is right and it's not him…" Leona reasoned, "Selene, what do you think?"

She sharply inhaled, as a thought occurred to her.

"We need to find them," she declared. " _Now._ "

They raced towards the food court, anxiety tugging at Selene's chest. If she was right…

They found Ahri sitting by herself at one of the smaller cafés, a plate stained with syrup and flecked with egg bits sitting on the table. Two other plates blemished with the same scraps sat on either side of her. Her face was mustache-free, proof of her boyfriend's involvement.

The fox stared at the whole group for a moment and somehow managed to keep a straight face as she looked to each of them. "Hello, did you need anything from me? I just finished eating and was about to go to my room…" She stood up and watched Selene.

Her eyes narrowed. "Where is he?"

She batted her eyes and looked at the goddess innocently. "Whosoever would you mean?"

"Considering you are the _only_ one here without this done to them, I think you _know_ ," Leona growled, her voice heavy with metallic undertones.

She shrugged. "He didn't tell me where he was going. Claimed it was 'safer for him for me to not know.'"

"...he did it." Leona stated, "I'm convinced,"

" _CORRECT!_ " Helios's voice boomed.

"And yet...not quite." Everyone looked up to see Helios standing with his arms behind his back on the roof of the café, dressed in his pajamas and a maroon bathrobe.

 _Duel of the Fates_ suddenly started playing.

Everyone's eyes widened, as they saw he wasn't alone.

Selene started trembling. Leona, Ashe and Tryndamere fell to their knees as unmitigated horror wracked their nervous systems.

"Hiiiiiiiiiii!" Vasher beamed.

"We're all doomed…." Leona groaned.

Helios and Vasher broke out into a fit of maniacal laughter, clawing their hands and cackling to the roof. Thunder boomed overhead, and heavy rains gushed down from the skies outside.

"Vasher…" Ashe growled, "what did you _do_ ,"

"Oh, she only did exactly what I told her to do," Helios breezily replied. "She makes a _great_ minion."

"Annnnd the end of Runeterra has come," Matthew sighed, earning an elbow from his wife.

"How many…" she finally asked, glaring at her daughter.

" _Everyone_!" she grinned, "Even the other Kindred, Lucian and Leona!"

They were nowhere in sight though, most likely holed up in the rooms they had been given to use during their stay.

"Why _me_ though?" Artemis piped up.

"I kinda thought you were Apolla," Vasher admitted, "Sorry Missy. You guys were all clumped up like a little group of poros,"

"We'll get to you later, don't worry," Helios assured her. "The corruption process is relatively simple anyways."

Artemis shook her head and gave a pretty smile.

"Nah, I don't wanna be a minion. Too yellow,"

"Too late. Make the meme, you're on the team."

"Nooooooooo!"

" ** _YES,_** " they both said.

"Mama!" Artemis pleaded and her mother held her, glaring at Helios with _all_ the fire she had in her.

"Anyhoo, the mustaches will probably wear off in, say...a month?" Helios guessed. "So, y'know. Have fun with that."

"Oh just you wait," Leona hissed, "We'll get you for this,"

"No, you really won't," he replied. "In fact, you'll probably thank us in a minute."

"What _ever_ makes you think that?"

"We neglected to mention the effect the formula had on _Braum._ "

"...Wh-What did you do to uncle Braum…" Torin asked, peeking from behind his mother's leg.

"Well, see, here's the thing." Helios placed his hands together. "It's a widely known scientific fact that Braum's mustache can't get any more fabulous than it already is. I don't think anyone can dispute that."

Nothing from the others. He wasn't wrong.

"Soooooo….the formula didn't really do anything for his _mustache,_ " he continued, "but all that hair still had to go _some_ where."

He pointed to a Freljordian bar across the food court. " _BEHOLD!_ "

They were met with the most glorious thing anyone had ever witnessed.

Braum's head was adorned with a full mane of hair, silky smooth and flowing dramatically in the (strangely nonexistent) breeze. Even Taric's hair couldn't hope to match it. He winked at them from where he sat, sipping from a mug filled to the brim with goat's milk. The single female champions swooned.

"Vasher, we've really outdone ourselves with this one." Helios sniffed, wiping away a tear. "It's absolutely magnificent."

"Yep!" she chirped, "Uncle Braum was happy!"

"I think science has finally reached its apex," he said. "Still mad, Leo?"

"Very,"

"You're no fun."

"And you have no sense of restraint," Selene drily replied.

"Shush. Don't use Syndra's trigger word."

"What? I just said that you don't have a sense of restraint."

"Oh, _gods,_ you said it again!"

"I'm more angry with the fact you did this to care honestly," Silvia growled, holding Aiko, who had just woken up and started to wail.

Amelia shot her daughter a glare "You, young lady, are grounded until you are fifty,"

" _Momma_!" Vasher whined.

"Aiko, if you calm down right now, I'll paint your dad's mustache pink."

Her screaming turned to laughter.

"Oh gods, he's infected the children."

"I did that a while ago, sis."

"Not all of them, fortunately," Pantheon replied, looking at Artemis and Torin, who still didn't look pleased at the predicament.

"Welp, we'd _love_ to stay and chat, but we have more evil schemes to plan." Helios looked down at Vasher. "We should go deface that giant statue of Avarosa in your mom's front yard."

She giggled and took his hand.

"Vasher don't you _dare_!" Ashe started, beginning to run forwards to her daughter.

"Bye!" The two of them skedaddled, leaving silhouettes made of dust in their place.

"Annnnd they're gone," Amelia growled, "I know where I'm heading…"

"I'll go with you," her husband sighed, "That girl is going to be such a handful…"

Everyone frowned, as they heard the sound of uncontrollable sobbing coming from the floor. Selene had curled up into a ball, her face buried in her arms as she wept.

"Lady Selene?" Diana asked.

"My life is going to _suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck,_ " she wailed, her composure gone.

"I'm sure it won't be so bad…"

"What kind of rock have you been living under?!" She replied. "One of them was bad enough, but _this?!_ " She started rocking back and forth on her rear. "I'm not going to last a week."

"It'll calm down...eventually," Diana admitted, "Just, weather it,"

"I don't want to."

"You _have_ to," Diana told her, "If I wasn't allowed to give up all those years ago after being hunted. You can get through this. At least you don't have to worry about them killing you. You're still his sister and I doubt he'd let anything harm you,"

"No."

She stared, poker-faced.

 **Next up...someone decides to get back at Helios. How well they succeed? You'll just have to see!**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)  
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)**

 **Pantheon-Arthur Jonson**

 **Braum-Piotr Kozlov**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye (Diamond)**

 **Aurelion Sol-Hailey Cannon**

 **Kalista-Krista Rhon**

 **Ahri-Ariel Royal**

 **Ashe- Amelia Whitworth (Hodges)**

 **Tryndamere-Matthew Hodges**

 **Syndra-Silvia Lazar**

 **Akali-Akela Hisou (Korrigan)**

 **Darius- Seamus O'Connor**

 **Draven-Finley O'Connor**

 **Fiora-Victoria Meraux**

 ** _Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)_**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 **Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)**

 **Leona-Janie Noble**

 _ **...And then there are**_ ** _Helios and Selene._**

 **Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!**

 **Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

 **Máriessë ar mára tecië**

 **Farewell and fair writing**

 **Elhini Prime signing off.**


	12. Chapter 12

**So this time around, _someone_ gets even and some new things are found out about certain Champions. Some fun is had...but again, not everything is sunshine and roses.**

Chapter XII

 _One month later…_

The day dawned early and bright, the sun shining through the windows and the birds sang and chirped.

Helios yawned, stretching under the covers. "Hello me," he said to the rising sun. "Could've waited a few more minutes, but I guess it's fine."

 ** _SQUAWK!_**

Helios froze at the sound. If that was what he thought it was…

He looked up just to see his whole room _filled_ with pigeons and seagulls. All clamoring together in what could only be likened to an orchestra of Hell.

He blanched. " _No._ Anything but _this._ "

Helios moved to get out of bed, hopefully he could get out before...he brushed against something. Almost like a spiderweb. He brushed it aside.

Big mistake.

A bucket, attached to the tripwire dumped its contents over him. If he wasn't awake, he sure was now as a sticky, almost syrupy mixture dumped over him. Blinded, he tried to wipe his eyes and try to get out from the shower of syrup…

When the second bucket tipped over. Sending a shower of birdseed over him, sticking to the syrup. The room exploded with feathers as if someone had broken a pillow. Sky rats of every shape and size beelined for him, pecking at him to get the seeds...only to get caught and stuck in the syrup, making Helios nothing more than a mess of feathers and beating wings.

"I feel so violated," he whimpered. "Leona, you _monster._ "

Then he saw the cameras.

He sighed, then got out of bed. "I suppose there's only one thing to do in this situation, then."

He snapped his fingers at the sky. "Music, please."

And that was how he began his morning doing the chicken dance.

* * *

"So...I get that you wanted to see me and all that, but...couldn't this have waited a bit longer?"

Aneria could see his point. She wouldn't have wanted to meet with them either, if she'd been covered in feathers like he was. Regardless, the prank war between he and Cira warranted their attention. If anything, this newest incident was proof of that.

"It is quite disruptive, you two's war," she stated, looking at both deity and his Aspect.

Surprisingly, her face didn't give off that she was guilty of anything. Save for the slight glimmer of amusement in those blue and gold eyes.

Helios quirked a brow. "If you're expecting this to end anytime soon, don't. I have no intention of stopping, and neither does she." He pointed at Leona.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Leona said sweetly, " _I_ haven't done anything,"

 _"_ Me _on the other hand…"_ Cira chuckled maliciously.

"I don't know who turned him into a Thanksgiving Turkey, but it wasn't me," Leona smiled, "Though, if he stops, I will,"

"Just...keep your pranks to each other and _not_ the Institute," Apollyon sighed, pinching his nose, "Though, from what I have seen...the chaos has only begun,"

"No promises." Helios shrugged. "Restraining myself wouldn't be as fun."

"Gods preserve us…" Aneria groaned covering her face with her hands, "Go on and go back out there. Just leave us out of it,"

"Okay." Helios folded his arms behind him and turned to leave, with a little spring in his step. "I've got an anime bingewatch with my girl to get to, anyways."

Leona gave a bow before the Tribunal, putting her fist over her heart before also turning to leave. She had three kids to take care of and spoil after all.

"So, what exactly did you cover me in?" He asked, as they walked down the halls. Summoners and champions alike snickered at his appearance, but he paid them no mind. "It didn't take long for these feathers to stick."

"That's for me to know and you to never find out," Cira grinned, "Let's just say I had Apolla's help. Poor girl is about a good a cook as Leo and Arthur put together,"

"So just random crap, then?"

"Pretty much,"

"Well, nicely done." He gave her a thump on the shoulder. "I'll have to lay low for a few days, but I can deal with that."

"The birds were Krista's idea," Leona said, "Cira came up with the whole sticky situation. I had _nothing_ to do with this. It was them,"

Her eyes flashed blue.

"Tattletale!" Cira scolded.

He laughed. "I can always count on my favorite representative, can't I?"

"She's just afraid that you're going to dish it out on her," Cira snorted, "Leo, whatever he does is going to happen to both of us, remember? We're the same person?"

She gave a laugh.

"Eh, point taken...it might be more geared towards me than you. But you and I both know there's only one thing that would make our lives Hell for a little bit. And we're not going to speak of it should it happen!"

"What a shame," he said, uncharacteristically uninterested. "I guess I'll have to make do with what I already know."

"Oh please make it interesting. I'll be disappointed if you don't,"

"Wouldn't want that, now would we?" He said.

His face brightened, as he saw Ahri waiting for him at her bedroom door. She fixed him with a mild grin, crossing her arms and leaning on her hip.

"Don't _chicken_ out on your date," Cira smirked, patting him on the shoulder once before walking off.

"I'm not late, am I?" He asked.

"Late no… covered in…" she stared at him for a moment, " _something_ , yes." Her tails twitched in slight amusement, but it was obvious that they were moving nowhere near the mass of feathers.

He sagged. "Why did this have to happen today of all days?"

She shrugged. "Did a certain someone know we'd be watching anime today?"

Cira was halfway down the hall, but her sharp hearing caught it. She turned around, gave an angelic smile and drew a halo over her head before giving a dramatic bow and continuing on her way. Shattering into shards of sunlight as she was whisked away to a match.

Helios's eye twitched. "Okay, that's it. I'm hitting below the belt next time."

She tilted her head in confusion, then shook her head. "You want to stop talking about it?"

He deflated. "For now, yes. I don't know what kind of gunk Apolla whipped up, but I'm hoping that a hot shower will get most of it off."

He looked at her as they went inside. "I mean, if you don't mind."

She shrugged. "Go ahead. I'll just watch some Soul Eater while I wait."

"Ha! As if! I bet you're just trying to establish an alibi!" He teased. "That way you can just peek at me while I'm naked in your shower."

Her cheeks turned a pale pink as she suddenly turned her attention to her tv, pulling a blanket over her. Her biggest mistake here was probably the damning silence that came from her choice to not respond.

He laughed, stepping into her bathroom. To his dismay, he wasn't able to get the gunk off completely. He'd had to rip some of the feathers out by force, and that had led to a decent amount of bleeding. Gods, what had Apolla added to that stuff? He was lucky that he healed relatively quickly from small wounds, because Ahri would've thrown a fit if he didn't. He was also lucky that blood was easy to rinse off, because she wouldn't have liked her shower stained red.

He turned the water off when he'd removed as much of the muck as he could, putting on a fresh set of clothes (courtesy of his powers). Ahri was bundled up in her bed when he exited the room, snacks piled up around her as she lounged in front of the television.

"I miss anything good?" He asked, throwing the covers over him and sitting next to her.

She blinks as she sees a feather sticking out of his hair then laughs. "A portion of your hair while you were in the shower, I think."

He looked up at where she pointed, snorting. "If Rakan can pull it off, so can I."

She smiled sweetly before pausing the TV. "So… what do you want to watch? Ariel had me get a bunch of these… Haven't watched most of them yet."

"I was going to suggest Darling in the Franxx as a start," said Helios, "but now that I'm in dire need of revenge, Sailor Moon is going to have to be the first pick."

"Sailor Moon," she hummed. "I guess that's fine." She squirmed her way out from under the blankets, one of her tails brushing against him as she grabbed a DVD case and began to put it in.

"Fair warning though, this series can get a bit...weird," he said, as she slipped back in. "I normally wouldn't put you through this, but I have to take a few notes for my revenge."

A shrug. "As if our whole life of being Champions isn't weird. I think I'll be fine. She leaned over and kissed him. "Don't torture poor Cira too badly though, alright?"

"I'll do my best, but that really depends on where the line is."

She sighed and held out an open palm to him as the show started. He chuckled, taking it and kissing the back of the palm. She appreciated the gesture, snuggling into his side. Helios started jotting down little notes in his mind as they progressed through the episodes, making observations on how the outfits and hair were designed. Part of him was just glad that the design would be intentional this time. The last time he'd watched this series, he'd had to sneak the results into the Institute as skins, which had been extremely difficult, but ultimately manageable.

Five episodes in, his phone buzzed, making him groan with annoyance. Ahri was equally peeved, but didn't protest as he pressed pause and brought the device to his ear.

"Yeah?" He asked.

" _Hello, brother dear,_ " Selene said. " _I'm aware that you're currently busy, but now that I've mostly regained my sanity, I remembered something that I ought to bring to your attention._ "

"And you thought it was so important that you had to interrupt my date?"

" _Syndra's open to the possibility of having a spar with you._ "

"...Go on."

He could already see her smug expression on her end of the line. " _She showed openness to the idea a short while before you pulled the ordeal with the mustache, and I finally lost it. You should formally make the offer when you're finished for the day. You might actually have some fun._ "

"Alright, is that all?" He asked.

" _Just about. See you later._ "

"Yeah, you too." He stuffed his phone back into his pocket, putting his arm back around Ahri's shoulders. "Apparently, Syndra wants to throw down sometime," he told her.

One of her tails wrapped around him. "You aren't leaving right now. You promised anime binging." One of the fox's eyes twinkled blue in the dim light that the TV provided in the room.

"I know," he said. "I don't plan on leaving anytime soon. I wouldn't miss a date with you for the world."

She smiled and settled back down, though the tail remained around him. She used it as an opportunity to snuggle closer to him.

"So, this is kind of random," he said, "but do you know anybody who'd be willing to get a job working for me?"

She tilted her head. "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm probably gonna need a new representative after this next prank."

* * *

 ** _BOOM!_**

The walls of Andrew's office shook, and he jumped in his chair.

"What in _blazes_?!" He demanded, getting out of his chair.

Only a few things could cause the room to do that. One: Leona and Vi were sparring again. Two: Syndra found a sparring partner. Likely the former...

 ** _BOOM!_**

The ceiling shuddered, expunging bits of debris, a few of which landed on Andrew's head. Another tremor knocked over a cup of coffee that was half-full, spilling dark liquid all over his desk… and his paperwork for organizing the day's matches.

"I'm going to offline some Projects…" Andrew growled.

He got up and started heading to the source of the noise. As he suspected, it was coming from one of the training rooms. He groaned, as he pictured the extra paperwork he'd have to do to arrange for repairs.

To his surprise, he encountered Leona just down the hall, while Zed was heading in the same direction a little ways behind him.

"Wait...if it's not you and Vi…" Andrew blinked.

"Syndra and Silvia have been having fun," came Zed's voice as the other Project came up.

"They've been hogging the training room," Violet huffed, smacking her fist into her palm, "I've had some frustrations I wanted to vent to my sparring buddy but _noooooooo_ ,"

"We'll get in eventually," Cira shrugged, "Heh, maybe you'll manage to make a _dent_ this time with how mad you are, Violet,"

"Bring it on, Old-Timer!" came the challenge.

"Who in the worlds is Syndra fighting?" Andrew demanded.

"Mister Sunshiny Memelord," Cira told him, "Though he's still covered in feathers and it makes it _oh_ so much better for me to watch,"

"...What…?" Andrew asked.

"He humiliated me, I figured it was only a matter of time that I took my revenge on him," she said sweetly.

"One of these days you two are going to go too far," Andrew warned.

" _Please_ ," she snorted, "I'll stop when he does. He started it,"

"Did he start _this_?" Andrew asked, looking at Zed, who shifted his arms to better hold Aiko, who was giggling as she snuggled into her father's chest.

"Silvia and Syndra wanted to fight him in the first place," Zayne shrugged, "He just agreed,"

A training dummy smashed through the wall next to them, making them jump.

" _OI! LEAVE THE DUMMIES OUT OF THIS!_ " Helios's voice yelled from the other side. " _THEY DON'T GET PAID ENOUGH FOR THIS!_ "

Zayne gave a grin as he heard the shout.

 _"You said go all out!"_ came Syndra's voice, _"Everything is fair_ game _!"_

 ** _CRASH!_**

"I don't know if I want to go in there…" Andrew muttered.

" _HA! WHAT A PANSY!_ " Helios yelled, apparently able to hear him. " _NO WONDER LEO DOES ALL HIS DIRTY WORK FOR HIM!_ "

 _"This coming from the guy who does the same,"_ Silvia retorted, _"And has her play diplomat/representative while he sits and does the chicken dance all day long. BAWK BAWK BAWK!"_

"That was just cruel. ...I'm impressed."

 _"I've had to learn quick,"_ the Chosen preened, _"Now take_ this _!"_

 ** _WHAM!_**

They finally peeked through the hole, and discovered that Syndra had just sucker-punched him in the gut. The force of the blow had been amplified by her magic, and the god actually coughed up blood in response.

He wrinkled his nose at the mess on the floor. "Euch. While I'm thrilled that someone's finally making me work for my money, that was unpleasant."

" _HEY LEO, LOOK!_ " He pointed to it. " _SHE ACTUALLY MADE ME BLEED!_ "

"Oh I hurt your pride. It's Syndra and she had hers amplified by magic," Leona shrugged, "I just hit you in the nose with my shield. Ask her to do it without magic. I _doubt_ she'd be able to do that again,"

"She's not wrong," Syndra smirked.

"Your dainty little fingers would probably snap like twigs, wouldn't they?"

"Oh I don't doubt it. _This_ however…" she kicked him square in the gut, "Won't,"

" _Hey!_ " He rasped. " _That's cheap, going for the same place twice!_ " He was actually impressed, more than anything else.

He lunged forward, slamming his fists against her ears. She cried out as her vision went white, a cacophonous buzzing overloading her senses. He jumped and twisted midair, swinging a kick shrouded in flames down into her face. She faceplanted so hard that she crushed the floor beneath her, taking a chunk out of the stone.

"And you call _me_ cheap!" she groaned, struggling to get back up, spitting some of her ivory locks out of her mouth.

"I was just returning the favor," he said, spreading his arms unapologetically. "Thou shalt reap what thou sowed, and all that."

Her eyes flared as the ground rumbled and chunks of the floor came up. She flicked her hand and all of the chunks shot forwards.

"HA!" she yelled.

Every single one of them was aimed with pinpoint accuracy at his face. Once they'd stopped, he was left with a poker face and a bloody nose.

"Oh, _cool!_ " He exclaimed, wiping a hand across his face to stare at his blood. "It's been a while since I got one of these."

"You done or you want me to give you more," Syndra teased.

"I dunno. How much more you got?"

"You'd be surprised!" she grinned savagely, a sphere of dark energy forming in her hand.

She hurled it at him, tearing up more of the floor and hurling _everything_ at him. He staggered back, cuts and bruises tearing open across his skin, while his clothes were torn to shreds.

"Hey! I just bought these!" He complained.

"Oh don't act like you aren't looking for the opportunity to show your bae," Silvia smirked, "And besides...I think I took out a few feathers there!"

"Yes, yes, thank you." He wiped the dust off the fabric. "Also: why don't you try it?"

Twin jets of flame exploded from his hands, enveloping her instantly. When they subsided, she was hunched over and panting, her clothing partially burnt off. A few embers flickered in her hair.

"Aren't you two going to stop them?" Andrew demanded.

"Do you have a death wish?" Leona asked while Zed said nothing, just staring at his wife while Aiko babbled, smacking her hand against his shoulder with a light 'ping'.

Helios wolf-whistled. "You know, I never really understood why you dressed so scandalously Syndra, but after seeing the way Zed's looking at you, I think I get it now."

"Paws off she's mine!" Zayne yelled, circuits blazing.

"If you're going to, ah, _mark your territory,_ best do it in private," he replied deviously. "I don't think Aiko's ready to know about that kinda stuff yet."

He received a dark orb to the face as a result.

"Okay, to be fair, I deserved that one," he conceded from the floor.

"Ma! Ma! Ma!" Aiko chirped, getting a grin from Syndra.

"Yep, that's your Mom," Zayne smiled, "Totally amazing,"

"Trying to score brownie points, huh?" Silvia teased.

"Can you blame me?"

"Hold up now!" Helios jerked his head up. "...Was that her first word?"

"Yep, she's been babbling until now," Silvia preened, "I am Mom, fear me,"

"Little kid probably won't shut up after that," Violet smirked, "If Mya's kids were anything to go by,"

"SURPRISE ATTACK!"

Helios suddenly rammed his forehead into Syndra's. They stumbled away from each other, spewing out curses that made Zed cover Aiko's ears.

"Ow, ow, _ow,_ " Helios groaned, massaging the throbbing bruise that had swelled across his temples. " _Oh,_ that was a stupid idea."

Cira bit her lip, trying to keep the retort to herself, but the smirk on her face still voiced it.

"You didn't realize that it causes _both_ of us pain if you do that?" Syndra demanded, rubbing her own forehead.

"I don't know, I thought it'd look cool," he admitted. "I don't really think that far ahead when I'm fighting. 'Hit them in the face and win' is pretty much my go-to strategy."

"...Oh dear heavens there's two of you," Andrew groaned, as Vi snickered.

"Wanna make fun of Cait's British clichés later?" He asked her.

"Sounds good to me!" she grinned.

"Welp, that's another one for the army."

 _Oh gods, it's getting bigger,_ Cira and Andrew realized, briefly greeted by apocalyptic visions.

"First Vasher, now _you_ ," Cira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"You forget that I'm billions of years old, Leona." He gave her a flat stare. "If anything, _I_ came first."

"Was talking about Miss Overly Aggressive here," came the sigh.

"Oh come on, you know I never miss an opportunity to tease her!" Vi smirked, "she squished my cheeks when she saw me like this, remember?"

"Oh yeah, I remember," Cira nodded, "That was _right_ after I embedded you three inches into the concrete because you tried charging me."

"You told me to come at you!"

"You needed to learn to be a tad bit indirect," Leona shrugged.

"Subtlety's only useful for pranks Leo," Helios said. "In combat, it's go in guns blazing or don't go in at all."

"Heck yeah!" Vi agreed.

"Wasn't that what landed you in your predicament in the first place, Vi," the other project pointed out, "You went into that building _without_ Caitlyn and ended up getting yourself blown up by hextech bombs that _nearly_ killed you?"

"...I'm still here though!" Vi countered.

"Gotta try everything at least once, right?" He offered.

"Stop encouraging her," Leona scolded.

"That's no fun at all."

"I'll set Krista on you if you keep going," the Solari threatened. "I reined her in last time...I won't this time if you keep doing that,"

"Hey Vi, we should go smash stuff later."

Leona's eyes narrowed before she turned to Vi.

"Go ahead...I'll just tell a certain _someone_ about a certain Project liking them,"

Vi's face went between pasty white and scarlet in two seconds.

"You wouldn't _dare_!" She hissed, "how do you even _know_?!"

"You're kinda talkative when you're punch drunk," Leona smiled sweetly, "I've had enough practice deciphering drunk speak with Yasuo and his bad days,"

Everyone felt the sinister aura of Helios's grin before they even saw it.

" _No_!" Vi panicked, "don't you freaking _dare!"_

"Oh I'm not going to say anything to them if you don't go break things," Cira smiled, "it's _him_ you've got to worry about now,"

"You know what Syndra, I'm gonna have to call this off for now," he told her. "This is the start of a beautiful friendship, of course, but you know how it is. Priorities."

Vi looked like she was going to cry.

"We _are_ going to finish this," she pointed out as she came to her husband and took her daughter...but not before patting his cheek, "let's go home, Aiko's tired. I'm not quite yet though,"

The Master of Shadows blinked and mutely nodded, still in shock.

"I have the sinking feeling that three is going to become four soon," Cira mused as the family left.

Helios felt inclined to agree. "I mean, I can get Ahri, and we can just make sure they-"

" _No_ ," Cira hissed, "You've been dabbling in people's romantic lives _far_ too much. Those two don't need encouraging...they've had it rough enough,"

"I bet they like it that way too."

" _Honestly_! You're insufferable today!"

"Or maybe you're just a cranky old lady who can't take a joke."

"And _who_ is the one currently imitating Birdio?"

"At least I'm rolling with it. You couldn't even handle a mustache."

"You couldn't handle cleaning up after yourself,"

"It was going to wash off in the rain! But _noooooooooo,_ you just couldn't let us have our fun, could you?"

Andrew and Vi slowly backed away.

"I wasn't mad about the drawing. I was mad that you basically told my kids it was alright to disregard parental authority. I _just_ got them back."

"Should've beaten me to the punch and found something to do, then. It's not my fault you don't know how to have fun."

"You're right. It _is_ my fault. It's my fault I wanted them to stay _away_ from me until I got fixed. It's my fault they got sent away in the first place!" she snapped, "So yeah, you're right,"

He blinked. "That's… not what I meant." He swallowed, looking away. "Sorry."

She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

"No, I'm sorry...I shouldn't have snapped. It's just hitting me that I'm not going to be _me_ for much longer. I lost my temper and I'm sorry,"

Helios huffed. "No, no, it's fine. It's to be expected, anyways. My representatives have always had a tendency to be a little…" He made an attempt at helpful gestures. "You know."

"Wonder whose fault _that_ is?" She teased.

He chuckled. "It's a package deal, I'm afraid. Just the way it is."

"So can we use the room now?" Vi asked, "been a while since I've had a sparring partner."

"Sure, go right ahead." He smirked. "Just try not to feel inadequate."

"He doesn't realize that the room's probably repaired itself by now, does he?" Andrew muttered, getting a snort from Cira.

"You're a god," Vi deadpanned, "If I was able to outdo you, there'd be issues,"

"So what, you _don't_ wanna go head-to-head just for kicks sometime?"

"I'm having violent flashbacks of when you first got turned," Cira muttered, "Poor Leon came up to me completely confused saying that Vi was going around the whole Institute wanting people to fight her,"

"He's a raid boss!" Violet protested, " _Everyone_ knows you don't let a Nasus stay in toplane and farm. I wanted to give him a run for his money!"

"And you thought that farming champions was somehow going to work. What is this, a Nightblue video?"

"Hey, death is the best cc!" she grinned clapping Leona on the shoulder, "And I've got the queen of cc as my sparring partner,"

"Sometimes I wonder about you…" Leona sighed.

* * *

"That's your tenth pole Shy," Helios said, exasperated.

"I don't normally use these when fishing," she huffed, tossing the broken pieces aside, "I'm used to using my hands...or mouth…"

He shrugged. "I know. To be honest, I'm not really sure why I suggested this." He stared across the lake, bored. "You were finally free, and all that."

The two of them had decided to meet up on the outskirts of the city, after Shyvana had finished with her duties for the day. It was supposed to be a good fishing spot, according to word of mouth, and offered an abundance of fish at this time of year.

"I get to spend time with my only living family member who _isn't_ on my husband's side. I'm happy,"

"Ha." He smiled. "I'll bet that isn't the only reason."

His eyes drifted down to her stomach. "Been getting a little pudgier lately, haven't you?"

She put her hands on it, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

"...Doctor says it's more than one," she muttered.

"Yeah?" He smiled. "How many?"

"...Three,"

His breath caught, then he slowly exhaled. "Wow. So you're gonna be extra fat then, huh?"

"Shut up!" she groaned, shoving him.

" _HA!_ Just wait until you try to transform!" He gave a toothy grin. "It'll be like looking at a beached whale!"

"Nope, get that far and they'll 'disable' me," Sonja smirked, "Happened with Leo, happened with Ashe and every other female champion. Doesn't mean I'm not going to go stir crazy though…"

"You know you should do once it gets to that point?" He asked. "Whatever the hell you want. Then you can just say that it's the hormones, and no one will be able to prove otherwise."

"Even with that, I'm still queen and have to act like a _lady_ ," she huffed with a small amount of disgust.

"Right. That." He grunted. "The in-laws been treating you alright?"

"They're afraid they'll get burned by either me or you," she shrugged.

He nodded. "As they should be. What about your duties as queen? You been handling them okay?"

"Yep," she nodded, "it's not as bad as I thought it would be,"

"That's good to hear." He set his pole down, reclining on his elbows. "Being half-dragon must come in handy for dealing with bureaucracy."

"More like they're afraid of a god…"

"Which also applies to you," he pointed out. "Don't forget that as my granddaughter, you have divine blood. That makes you a demigoddess."

"Didn't demigods and demigoddess never have happy endings though?" Sonja asked, "the only one I know of that had one was Perseus,"

Once again, he looked down at the bump in her stomach.

"I'd say that you're future's pretty bright," he said. "Besides, I'll be there with you every step of the way. You'll be fine, I promise."

"Thank you," she smiled.

"Hey, it's no big deal, you know that I love you," he replied. "I'd do anything for you."

"I know," she nodded, "I'm just afraid of what will happen when this curse comes back...Demacia under that was very anti-magic. They _barely_ tolerated me when I was just a guard. I'm afraid of what they'll do when they realize I'm their queen...and carrying three heirs,"

"You're strong. I know you'll be okay." He picked up his pole and tossed out the line, watching as it punctured the surface of the water. "You've proven that you can handle yourself. Don't sell yourself short."

"Alright, I trust you. Besides...I'll have you and I won't be alone,"

"Never," he agreed.

The line suddenly jerked, yanking him off his rump toward the water. He grunted, trying to pull it back.

"Think I got a big one!" He exclaimed, clearly experiencing difficulties. Considering his strength, that wasn't something to be taken lightly.

"Reel it in!"

"I'm trying!" He replied. "It's just...this damn... _fish-_ "

The pole snapped in two.

Helios gasped indignantly. " _OH, **HELL** NO! YOU ARE **NOT** GETTING AWAY THAT EASY!_"

"Shy, strip down to your skivvies!" He commanded, pulling off his shirt. "We're doing this the old-fashioned way!"

The newly made queen praised her lucky stars that she actually thought of putting a swimsuit on under her clothes and started freeing herself before hopping into the water. Luckily for her, dragons were exempt from the "No Swimming While Pregnant" rule.

"Just, y'know, try not to strain yourself too much," Helios said. "I don't want to get the triplets hurt."

" _Please_ ," she rolled her eyes, "I'm tougher than I look. So are they,"

"Alright, alright, just checking," he replied. "It's my job to make sure you stay safe, and all that."

After around ten minutes of wrestling with their prey underwater, they staggered out of the lake, hauling a bass the size of a house behind them.

"This should adequately feed you and the kids for the week, I think," Helios said.

"...I dunno...the way Jarvan eats puts me to shame. I give it maybe two days," she hummed.

"I'll make sure to ask him to save some for you, then." He tossed the bass overhead, and it fell to the shore with a massive _WHOMP._ "Fairly certain that there's a rule about saving food for the lady somewhere."

"There is, but food is food,"

"Well, alright," he said, "he is my grandson-in-law, I guess. Still, just give me a heads-up if you have any-"

The air rippled, and he was overcome with a sensation completely foreign to him. His legs buckled, and he fell to his hands and knees, gasping for breath.

"Helios!?" Sonja panicked, rushing to him.

He couldn't speak. He was too overwhelmed. His body felt unbearably heavy. His face felt hot, drenched with sweat. His vision blurred, tainted with nausea.

"HELIOS!" she shook him for a couple seconds, worry over her face.

And then, just as quickly as the wave of pallidness had come, it left.

He gasped, his face returning to its normal color as his lungs finally tasted air. "What-" He broke down into a coughing fit, Shyvana holding him steady. "What the hell-"

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Fine now," he replied, panting. "Did you feel that too, or was it just me?"

"I didn't feel anything," Sonja shook her head, "Shyv?"

Her eyes flickered amber and she also shook her head.

"I don't exactly remember," Shyvana admitted, "The first thing I saw was you normal, now you are on the ground,"

"I felt…" He trailed off. "It felt like it came from-"

His eyes widened. "We need to go. Something's wrong."

"What?" Shyvana blinked.

"It felt like it came from Targon, Shy."

* * *

The sun shone on the Mountain, even in the grassy plateaus that graced it. A loud whinny echoed off the stones as a large black warhorse trotted off the rocky path and into the grass.

The two riders on its back looked around the area with appreciation. Pantheon urged the massive creature forwards for a few more paces before pulling on the reins with a soft 'whoa'.

Ares giggled happily as his father dismounted and picked him up, setting the four year old back on the ground.

Ares immediately bolted off, frolicking through the grass that was so high that it came up to his waist and sending butterflies flying into the air in bursts of color.

"Ares, come here!" Pantheon called, laughing.

The boy giggled and sprinted towards his father, who scooped him up and nuzzled his curls as he hugged him tightly.

"What's wrong, Daddy?" Ares asked.

"Nothing, I'm just glad I'm with you," Arthur told his son, setting him back down and ruffling his hair, "So, what do you want to do?"

"Um…" Ares hummed before picking up a stick and poking his father, "Gotcha! You dead!"

"Oh really?" Pantheon grinned, grabbing his shield and spear off of the horse's back, "Try that again!"

Ares shrieked as his father chased him around the meadow with his spear wrapped in his cloak so that he wouldn't hurt his son by accident. The two 'fought' each other. Ares diving between his father's legs and kicking the backs of his knees, throwing the Artisan of War off balance slightly. Arthur gently bopped his son on the head with his spear cackling as Ares squealed and ran off farther down the meadow. The boy set his feet, his bronze/silver glow burning brightly around him as he held his little spear.

Pantheon grinned and started forwards…only to stop. The meadow was gone, replaced with an arena of stone.

"Ares?" he called out, only for a tall young man with dark hair and fiery amber eyes to come towards him.

Pantheon froze, staring at the newcomer. An aura of dread came over him as he looked, something was not right about that man. The man whirled his own spear, going behind his shield, almost daring Pantheon to come at him. Where was Ares?

"Did you take my son?" Pantheon growled, his grip on his spear tightening.

The man said nothing, but there was a flash of brilliant white teeth, almost mocking. The Aspect of War slammed the butt of his spear into the ground.

"ANSWER ME!" he roared.

Again, no answer. Pantheon charged forwards, jabbing his spear at the man.

 _"Panth! STOP!"_ Arthur yelled.

If he wouldn't tell him where Ares was, he'd make him!

 _"PANTHEON!"_ the Chosen roared, desperately trying to take control, _"PANTH LISTEN! KNOCK IT OFF!"_

But Pantheon ignored his Chosen. Arthur had his heart in the right place at times, but sometimes…it needed a bit more of a wild touch. Pantheon wanted his son. And Arthur's protests would get in the way of that.

The Artisan of War jabbed his spear again. The man dodged, clumsily, falling on his rear. Pantheon came up to him and raised his spear, starting to plunge down…

When something large and hard slammed into him, knocking him far away. Pantheon got to his feet to see Aurelion curled protectively around the man, fangs bared and starfire flickering within his maw as he snarled.

Pantheon started forwards only for Aurelion to smack him down to the ground again, pinning him with a large paw.

"AURELION!" he roared, "RELEASE ME!"

"No," came the snarl from the dragon, whose eyes were differing shades of blue as Champion and Chosen were in perfect sync.

"You _dare…"_

"L-Lion!" came a child's hysterical wail.

Pantheon's head snapped towards the man…who suddenly did not look like a man at all. But a child. The blood ran out of his face as his grip on his weapons went slack. Ares was clinging to the star dragon, tears streaking down his tanned face while his golden eyes were dark with absolute terror.

 _"…I tried to stop you…"_ Arthur said, _"But you…Panth I think you had a relapse into the curse…"_

"Ares…" Pantheon whispered, "Aurelion I…please, let me up,"

"Why should I trust you," Hailey snapped, "You nearly killed Ares,"

"It wasn't me…it was that…" he gave a defeated sigh, "Take Ares to Leona, please. I will follow on horseback,"

Aurelion gave a low rumbling growl, but he reached around, gently picking Ares up with his teeth and setting him on his back before letting Pantheon up. The Star Dragon started to move off…but didn't miss the opportunity to smack the Artisan of War with his tail as he took off.

"I deserved that…" Pantheon sighed, sitting and putting his head on his knees as cold flooded his chest, "Arthur…I am sorry. I do not know what came over me,"

" _It wasn't you, Panth. It was that curse. I don't blame you…but I'm afraid that you will stop listening to me and Ares and the kids will get hurt,"_

"…That scares me as well," he muttered, "Stars above, what are we going to do?"

 _"…I don't know, Panth…I really don't know,"_

Fire coalesced in the skies above, and a pillar of flame thrust down in front of the group, halting Aurelion in his tracks.

"What happened?" Helios said, stepping out with Shyvana in tow.

"Pantheon tried to kill Ares," Aurelion growled, looking back at the child, who was currently still trembling and crying as he buried his head into the dragon's scales.

"He did _what?"_

"I'm taking him to his mother," Hailey said, throwing a scathing glare at the Aspect, who was unmoving on the ground, "If you want to know, _ask him_ ,"

"I already know why," he said, gritting his teeth as he looked at him. "It's coming back already, isn't it?"

Pantheon said nothing, he looked absolutely crushed.

"Get me Andrew," he seethed. _"Now."_

 **The Curse is slowly taking hold, but it looks like Helios is getting affected as well, this can't be good. Next, there'll be some serious stuff happening, but don't worry, we'll have some fun stuff in there. It's Helios after all...**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)  
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)**

 **Pantheon-Arthur Jonson**

 **Aurelion Sol-Hailey Cannon**

 **Kalista-Krista Rhon**

 **Ahri-Ariel Royal**

 **Syndra-Silvia Lazar**

 **Shyvana-Sonja Chadayev**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 **Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)**

 **Leona-Janie Noble**

 **...And then there are** **Helios and Selene.**

 **Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!**

 **Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

 **Máriessë ar mára tecië**

 **Farewell and fair writing**

 **Elhini Prime signing off.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry about how long this took everyone, the three of us were dealing with finals (me with a summer job as well) and we'd had very little time to write. Anyways, here is the aftermath of the previous chapter...in more ways than one. And...we get a new 'skin' out of this.**

Chapter XIII

The Tribunal wasn't easily intimidated. Nor was Andrew, for that matter. No champion at the Institute could so much as make them flinch. Even Nocturne was powerless against them.

And yet, the smoldering glare Helios was giving them was enough to make their skin crawl. His sister and companions weren't much happier.

"I can't _begin_ to describe how pissed I am right now," Helios snarled. A few other champions murmured their assent.

"We understand," Apollyon told him, "But there is also the fact that we were unable to get rid of that anchor on Earth,"

"So what exactly have you been doing all this time, then?" He demanded. " _Twiddling your thumbs?_ I don't want _excuses,_ Apollyon. I expect _results,_ however small they may be."

 _CRACK!_

The sound of Aneria's staff slamming against the stone was deafening. Her ice blue eyes were hard as she held up a scroll and very nearly hurled it at him.

He opened up the scroll…just to see very detailed notes on the _Barrier._

 _"Never_ assume that we are doing nothing, Helios," she growled, "especially if things such as family are involved. We would have more, but we also have a certain Solar prank war to deal with that is hindering progress a tad,"

Helios glowered, embers trailing from his fingertips. Cira had the decency to look bashful.

"Helios, calm yourself," Selene said. "I'm annoyed too, but that doesn't give us any right to-"

He shot her a look, and she promptly shut up.

He started when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked down to see Ahri staring up at him.

"Trying to fight them will get us nowhere. If we want the curse gone, we need to work together."

His anger dissipated, and he exhaled, nodding.

"We _realize_ that, Aneria," he continued, "but we're running out of time. Pantheon almost killed Ares not _two seconds_ after the curse hit him. We can't afford to have another incident like that."

Said Artisan still refused to look at anyone, despite the fact that his wife squeezed his hand tightly in reassurance.

"We know that," came the sigh from the Freljordian Representative, "But we are not gods, Helios, we have our limitations. Things do not come easily to us at a snap of the fingers. The most we can do right now is put a ward around the children so that they are not harmed and will be immediately transported to the daycare upon the ward being breached."

"While that's all well and good," Selene said, "putting a ward around the children doesn't solve the problem of everyone else. Are you absolutely certain that you can't restrain it like last time?"

"I do not think we can," The Demacia Representative admitted, "if it effected Helios, and we just barely managed to push it back this previous time, it might make it worse for these children and everyone else,"

Helios shuddered. "That was unpleasant. I nearly suffocated."

"You… What?" Ahri looked at him, eyes wide with worry. "Are you okay now?"

"Fine," he replied, taking her into his arms. "No need to worry."

She gave a small nod and simply leaned into him as she went back to watching the Tribunal.

"We're trying everything," Aneria promised, "We aren't going to just sit here and let this go,"

He nodded. "I'll hold you to that."

"We wouldn't expect anything less,"

"If you're really that concerned about the pranks, I can go easy on them for a while," he said. "Wouldn't want to hinder progress."

"As long as you keep it to a minimum of champions it will be fine," the Bandle City Representative chuckled, "an Institute wide one not so much,"

He hummed. "Good to know, good to know."

Apollyon's blind eyes gave a dim spark and he suddenly put his head in his hands and groaned.

"What happened?" Aneria asked.

"Do not ask," he sighed.

"No spoilers Apollyon," Helios told him. "That's an order."

"And face _her_ wrath? No thank you. Apologies, Leona," Apollyon shuddered as Leona's eyes narrowed, "I am staying out of this. Too much potential for violence inflicted on me,"

Ahri looked up at Helios. "It'll be fun no matter what though, right?"

He smiled. "Have I ever delivered anything less?"

* * *

Cira jolted awake with a shock, gasping as she struck at a phantom image before her. She opened her eyes slowly just to see not a wire-strewn lab, but the humble warm wood and stone of her home. She gave a sigh as she looked around. She felt...more tired than usual.

"The projector switched off didn't it?" she muttered as she got up and started towards the mirror…

Only to give a shriek of horror and terror that shook the house and caused her husband to jolt awake.

"Cira?!" Arthur demanded, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

He'd finally gotten some rest after Cira literally picked up him like a child and carried him in the house after he sat on the cliff for most of the night due to his shame at nearly hurting Ares. However...what he saw…

The expression on his wife's face was indescribable. Completely offset by what was wearing. She was dressed completely in white, light armor accented with scarlet-orange highlights and golden accents. Her skirt was a rich scarlet with white frills peeping out underneath the white armor panels at her hips. A rounded star-like design replaced the normal Solari insignia at her chest. Her sleeves were a snowy white and ended in delicate lady's gloves with an orange-red starburst on the wrist. Her boots had been transformed into high heels with a star accented with a bow at the ankle, her headdress had been replaced by what looked to be two white wings and her hair had been pulled into a ponytail that started nearly blonde and deepened to her normal scarlet. In short...Cira was a Star Guardian.

Arthur bit his lip, trying to hide his amusement. Saying something would probably launch him through the wall and off the cliff.

Cira's face was an _ungodly_ shade of red.

" _I'M GONNA **KILL** HIM!"_ she roared.

"Is Leo awake?" Arthur finally asked, valiantly fighting down his grin.

"No, thank God," Cira shuddered, "I need to get to Jayce...I'm going to kill Helios...I _swear_ …"

 _"Remind me to thank him,"_ Arthur grinned as He gave Pantheon control.

"You better not let her see you then," came the Champion's warning.

* * *

"I...don't know how to exactly _fix_ you," Jake admitted as Cira sat, cross armed on the table, her fingers tapping against her arm with harsh clicking sounds.

"Can't you just...program it so it's not my default?!" she demanded.

"I don't know what he _did_ to you, Cira," Jake tried again, "I can't fix it because I don't know how he got it in there in the first place and he put up something that deletes everything I try,"

Cira gave a groan of exasperation, putting her head in her hands.

"Leo hasn't woken up...has she?"

"No,"

"Then you'll be fine,"

"That's the thing...she _will_ wake up. It's just this drained us both because the projector was running all night it seems. It'll be a bit before it does...but it's going to be _two weeks_ of Magical Girl Leona…"

"I don't know what to tell you, Cira. I mean I'm going to try and figure it out but…"

She gave a groan before stiffening as her form started to disappear in a shower of golden light.

"Have fun," Jake told her as Cira shot him a death glare that would have incinerated planets.

When the Summoning finished, Cira heard a few voices that she hoped she wouldn't have to hear here.

"Cira! Oooooo! You got one too!" Mya squealed, nearly tackling her cousin, "Now we can be glitter buddies!"

Cira gave a low metallic growl as she looked at herself. Slight confusion colored her face as she realized she didn't have her sword or her shield.

"...where are my sword and shield…" she growled.

There was a chirruping noise and she looked up to see two little critters hovering around her. They looked almost like little lion cubs, one was a rich scarlet with orange and gold markings while the other was the reverse. Their names immediately popped into her head.

"Taiyo and Kido…" she blinked, "they aren't…"

The two familiars chirped, nuzzling her cheeks before transforming...into a golden and white shield and sword.

Cira gave a groaning whine as she put her head in her hands, refusing to look at Mya, or Ariel, or Poppy's Chosen, Adrian.

"Enjoying the new look?" Ariel teased as she edged closer to the support.

The glare she gave Ariel...basically told the mage that if she wanted to keep those sparkly nine tails she'd move away. Despite that though, her foxy grin remained as she edged closer to Mya.

"You had something to do with this," she hissed, " _didn't you_?"

"And if I said I did?"

"You thought the _clown_ was bad…that will have _nothing_ on what I plan to do to you,"

Her tail fur suddenly went on end, though she didn't continue.

Mya grabbed her cousin's gloved wrist and started dragging the new Star Guardian towards the botlane. Cira grudgingly followed…

Only to give a sudden yell of despair, shaking her head and smacking it a couple times.

"Leo! Shush!" she pleaded, "NO! GO BACK TO SLEEP!"

Muffled giggles came from the mid lane.

"SHUDDUP!" Cira yelled, shaking her head, "All of ya!"

She suddenly shuddered and her blue eyes flared gold. A sweet smile crossed her face and she looked down at Mya.

"Let's go! Onward to glitter and glory!"

Mya grinned, biting her lip to keep the laughter down. She could very nearly see the storm clouds that were Cira's attitude. But, Leona was blissfully unaware of it, the programming still screwing around with her personality.

The game went on, Cira was cringing and desperately trying to get back into control, but Leona was having _none_ of it. Cries of "For the First Star!" and others of that like rang throughout the Rift.

"I don't like to do this," Leona admitted to Mya as they watched as Miss Fortune collapsed, "But, they do return...right?"

Mya nodded.

"Don't worry, she'll be back to killing us soon enough. Though, you're still making sure I don't get killed,"

"The First Star used it's light to create us to protect. So, I believe that I should do my best to embody that light,"

"...Ok, that was cheesy and you know it,"

"Cheesy? It's the truth!"

"Whatever," Mya shrugged, looking at Janna, who was left alone, "HEY JANNA! Shouldn't you be thinking of retirement yet!?"

"Shouldn't you grow up?" came the deadpan from her Chosen.

"...Ok, I'll admit, that was a good one,"

"Let's show them what we're made of," Leona urged.

"Bullets and mayhem?" Mya grinned, "Well...circuits and sunshine for you,"

"Nope! Starlight!" came the beaming reply as the Solari Star Guardian pointed her blade at Janna, "Go Taiyo!"

Her body shattered into starlight, only to reform on the other side of Janna. Leona brought up her shield and rammed it into the other Star Guardian's chest, sending her stumbling forwards. Mya gave control to Jinx and the Loose Cannon let 'em have it. Janna's summoner forced her to flash away under the tower.

"Oooooh no, you're not getting away _that_ easily!" Leona cried, raising her sword high, "By the light of the First Star! I Punish you!"

The sky opened up and a column of radiant golden-white energy screamed down, slamming into the earth around Janna and forcing her to stop as the imprint of a starburst was burned into the soil.

"Double header!" Jinx cheered as she fired her rocket and took out Janna with one blow.

"We should probably head back," Leona said as her sword and shield reverted into the familiars and settled on her shoulders.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Jinx shrugged, "Y'know, you're not too bad at this Star Guardian stuff,

 _"Oh please don't egg her on…"_ Mya warned, _"Cira will end us both once she gets back,"_

" _If_ she can catch us," Jinx grinned, "She's gonna be dealing with Leona babbling if she gets back,"

"What was that?" Leona asked, looking back as she scratched under Kido's chin.

"Nothin'," Jinx said as the blue rings of the recall spell flashed around her, "Just talking to myself,"

"Oh, ok!"

They returned back and got a few items. Leona picked up her locket and smiled.

"Warm as the light of the First Star, it'll do well in my mission,"

 _"Oh_ God _Leo please_ stop _!"_ Cira begged.

Again, Leona ignored her and set out with Jinx. Her Summoner ordered her to attack and she nodded.

"The light of the First Star guides my blade and my shield," she confirmed.

 _"KILL ME PLEASE!"_ Cira wailed.

"I'd be happy to help," a voice hissed from out of the bushes. Before Cira or Leona could even register who it came from, a cocoon burst from the bushes, a spiderling not too far after it. Perhaps the more terrifying thing to emerge though was the _enormous_ spider with a flower blooming on it's abdomen as it dropped down onto Cira with use of Rappel. However, the snarl of a wolf and a volley of arrows forced her to back off, as Kindred arrived to countergank. A vicious duel ensued, which eventually expanded to include every member of both teams.

Both sides failed to notice the muffled snickering and crunching coming from a tree near the lane.

Leona dropped a solar flare in the middle of the fight, filling the air with specks of golden sparkles, she kept fighting, her innate ability exploding around the area in a dazzling display as her teammates used it to their advantage. Having enough of it, Garen smacked her with the flat of his blade, stunning her into silence for a few brief moments, only for Poppy to ram into him and send him into a wall, away from Leona. Dianne leaped upwards, firing arrows as Wolf howled and attacked on his own, biting at Eva and then at the enemy bot lane duo.

"For the glory of the First Star!" Leona called, charging in again.

The culprit couldn't hold it in any longer. His raucous laughter made the combatants pause, and they turned to see Helios lounging on a tree branch, tears in his eyes and a bag of popcorn in his hands. He was heartily shoving its contents into his mouth, reaping the benefits of his plan.

The golden eyes suddenly flared silver-blue and the carefree smile on Leona's face clouded over

 ** _"YOU!"_** Cira shrieked, her form glitching into something between Project and Star Guardian as the air heated up to almost unbearable temperatures.

He laughed harder, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"No, don't-" He wheezed, thumping his chest. "Don't mind me! No need for interruptions!"

"I think the match is pretty much over," Adrian muttered, "Cira isn't going to continue."

"YOU BET I'M NOT!"

"Oh no, Leo!" Helios exclaimed. "She's not letting you fight for the glory of the First Star!"

Cira's body locked up and her eyes flickered between gold and blue repeatedly.

"Stop that! I let you have the whole freaking match! It's my turn! NO I DON'T CARE! HE'S MINE!"

Helios howled.

Ahri grinned as she strutted up to Helios. "Careful or you'll pull something from all of this laughter."

Somewhat proving her point, Helios suddenly lost his balance, flailing his arms in an attempt to regain it. He failed, falling to the ground with a _thud._

"Ow," he said. "Aaaaaaaaand I spilled the popcorn too. Rats."

"KARMA!" Cira yelled.

Ariel gave a softer smile as she offered a hand to him. "Told you so."

He took her hand, then swept her into a searing kiss as soon as he was on his feet. He was particularly affectionate this time around, tracing the contours of her body through the fabric of her shirt. The outfit was clearly having an effect on him.

"Get a room!" Mya yelled.

"After all the trouble I went to of preparing the newest addition to the Star Guardian lineup?" He asked as he pulled away. "I think not! I'm going to make out with my girlfriend _and_ laugh my ass of at Leona, thank you very much."

"...You were behind these?" Silvia asked, wincing at the metallic snarl from the Project.

" _CORRECT!_ " Helios confirmed, sweeping his arm in a bow. "So glad that you figured it out!"

"...I was considering just _maiming_ but nope! NOT HAPPENING! YOU ARE _DEAD_!" Cira roared.

"It's a funny story actually," he cheerily replied. "And if I'm being honest, the whole thing was partially accidental."

"Oh _really?!"_

"Okay, so it all started around, oh...a little over a decade ago?" He guessed. "This was back when the Void was making unreasonable demands from the League (like an endless supply of meatsacks for Cho'Gath, euch). This was also back when Kai'Sa hadn't joined up to keep them in check."

"Anyway, as a star, I found the idea of the Void having any influence at all in Runeterra's affairs absolutely nauseating," he continued. "But, naturally, I couldn't interfere directly, because rules."

"So you made these then?" Sarah asked.

He shrugged. "Basically, yeah. I thought Leona might appreciate a few extra helpers. The original concept had a lot of armor involved, and would've looked really cool."

" _But…_ " He sucked in through his teeth, looking away as he fiddled with his fingers. "I may have been bingewatching Sailor Moon prior to the actual development process."

"So basically, these were made because of one massive screw up?" Jinx smirked, she, being nearest to Leona, could hear the Solari's teeth grinding as she started actually growling like a lion.

He turned up his hands in a what-can-you-do gesture. "Once I got started, ideas started mixing in my head, and I lost my focus by mistake. By the time I noticed, it was already too late. I had no choice but to imbue the selected champions with star power in secret, then pawned off the outfits as skins to a Summoner anonymously. And, well, here we are."

"I _know_ how those anime end," Kaiden deadpanned, "I've half a mind to join Cira and end you,"

"And deprive my girlfriend of my amazingness?"

"You're tempting Cira," Kaiden said.

"You could just leave him to me," Ahri grinned as she leaned her head against him.

"You'll have what _pieces_ are left!" Cira snarled.

"Oh calm down Cira," her foxy grin remained.

"I mean, the only way this could get any worse is if I were to make it a permanent skin on the store," Helios added.

His face sprouted a devious grin.

"Unless, of course, I already _did._ "

"..."

"Annnnd we're going to be in perpetual darkness for all eternity with that," Syndra deadpanned, "It was nice knowing you, Helios,"

"She has to catch me first!" Helios said, already running.

" _GET BACK HERE!"_ she bolted after him, _"I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU!"_

The match never ended properly. Cira spent the next half hour chasing Helios around top and bottom lane. But it was fun, regardless.

* * *

"Selene?" came Cira's voice from down the hall.

The Lunar deity looked up to see a slightly disheveled Leona in Star Guardian garb leading a skipping Apolla, who was talking a mile a minute.

"Oh, _no._ " She deadpanned. "He finally told you about the skins, did he?"

"Not so much 'told' as forcefully put me in one," Cira growled, twitching slightly as Leona tried to regain control, " _No_ , you are staying quiet until two weeks are up!"

"If you're asking me to clean up after him, my answer will have to be no," Selene said. "I'm taking a _long_ vacation from dealing with him."

"I'm not asking you to do that," Cira replied, "He's _mine_ and no one else is going to take the joy of bringing him down from me. I'm about to go to a match and Braum is on the other team. I was wondering if you could look after Apolla for that time, she's promised she'll be good, so you won't have any trouble,"

She smiled down at the girl. "No, that wouldn't be any trouble at all. I'd be happy to take her off your hands."

Cira gave a smile and knelt down, stroking the little girl's blonde hair once before kissing her forehead.

"Listen to Lady Selene, alright?" she asked.

"I'll be good, Mama! I promise!" Apolla beamed as her mother started to break into shards of sunlight.

"Now then." Selene rubbed her head affectionately. "Any preference for what you want to do?"

"I wanna explore!" Apolla beamed, "Aunt Di-Di said there was a building she wanted to show me...but I had to leave before she could show me…"

"Alright, then." She took Apolla's hand in hers. "Lead the way, then."

The four year old giggled and almost 'dragged' Selene out of building and out into the sunny mountain air.

"Aunt Di-Di said it was down near the bottom of the Mountain," Apolla said, "Not far away from Shooma!"

"Hm? Oh." Selene chuckled. "I think you mean _Shurima,_ little one."

"Yeah! That!" she nodded, "Aunt Di-Di said it was a special place. She wanted to take me because I'm like her. She didn't tell Mama or anyone else,"

"Hm….." Selene momentarily pondered this. "I think I may know the location you're referring to. It won't take me much effort to get us there."

"Kay!" she giggled.

Selene closed her eyes, concentrating. They were swallowed by iridescent silver light shortly after, disappearing from the hall.

Apolla opened her eyes to see a small valley covered in white flowers. It was very pretty in her eyes, but it carried a sadness in it. She looked around, seeing the soft golden sand of the desert in the distance and the cool grey and white marbled stone of the Mountain that towered over them. Nestled in an alcove of the mountain was a temple-like structure carved from silver veined marble. Vines of honeysuckle and morning glories twined around the pillars that still stood despite having cracks and chips within them. A smooth silver disk crowned the capstone of the temple, identifying it as not Solari...but a Lunari temple.

"It's so pretty!" Apolla breathed.

"It really is." Selene sighed nostalgically. "It was even more beautiful in its prime."

"Can we go see?" Apolla asked.

"It'd be best if we wait for Diana first," she replied. "She was the one who wanted to show you in the first place."

"But she's in matches all day!" Apolla whined, "She and Mama are on the same team! What we gonna do if she doesn't get back before Mama does?"

"Fair point," she conceded. "Hm...ah! I know what to do."

She snapped her fingers.

Diana suddenly materialized out of moonlight, falling to the ground in a heap.

"What the…" Mir blinked, "how did I get _here?"_

 _"_ Aunt Di-Di!" Apolla cheered.

"Apolla?" she asked before spotting Selene, "Ah...that explains it,"

"She requires entertainment," Selene informed her. "I believe you promised it to her."

"I did," Diana sighed, "I was in the middle of a match though, they have me scheduled all day,"

"Apolla, if you would."

The little girl came up to her aunt and tugged on her armor. Diana slowly looked down...just to get met with large, tear-filled, stormy blue eyes.

" _Pweaaaase_ Aunt Di-Di?" Apolla begged, "You promised...and you might leave me again before we can go…"

Diana shot a half-hearted glare at Selene as she put a hand on her her still larger than normal stomach.

"Your brother is rubbing off on you, Lady Selene," she stated before sighing, "Fine,"

"Thank you for agreeing to it," she replied. "I believe that a tour's in order?"

"I'm not much a tour guide, I just know that it's one of the less dangerous temples to explore," she said.

"Alright," she said. "I can take it from here, then."

She took Apolla's hand in hers. "Come along now, little one. You're going to like this."

The trio went into the temple. The vines didn't stop on the outside, the floor was carpeted in them as well as grass pushing its way through the once pristine marble floors. Scorch marks marred some of the pillars, while gashes slashed through some of the statues lining the walls, left by angry people long ago. In the center of the room, under an open air rotunda, was a larger marble statue behind a silver altar. The statue's features were either worn away by the elements or hacked to pieces by angry Solari swords. A mosaic of lapis lazuli, sapphire and diamond spiraled away from the alter, hidden underneath the vines and separated by the grass.

"Now this brings back memories." Selene let her fingers glide along the edge of the statue. "I still remember what it used to be like, back then."

She smiled sadly. "It was a simpler time. Helios and I were just beginning to get the Solari and Lunari together. Neither of us had any idea what we were doing, really, but we made it work eventually. It was a lot more fun that either of us expected it to be."

"What happened?" Apolla asked, standing on her tiptoes to peer over the side of the altar, "Aunt Di-Di?"

"I don't know," Diana told her niece, "The Lunari were almost wiped out when I found this place. Just me, Asterios and your grandmother,"

"People happened, unfortunately." Selene sighed. "It couldn't be helped. There are zealots in every religion, and ours were no exception. There was only a handful of pretentious Solari at the time, but…" Her shoulders slumped. "That was all it took. Helios was absolutely furious, but the damage had already been done, and neither of us could do anything about it."

"But...Mama's not like that...neither is grandpa! They wouldn't hurt...would they?" Apolla asked, worry on her face.

"No," Mir reassured her, "They wouldn't. And they've gotten many of the priests to at least _tolerate_ me and my 'ridiculous' ideas. But, it's been at least a hundred years since that purge, they probably had forgotten that we were a religion as well,"

"And then, of course, there was the purge of the Solari _you_ carried out, years ago." Selene turned to look at her. "Few of the elders lived that day, if my memory serves me adequately."

"I was fighting for my life," Diana protested, "they were going to execute me. Leona didn't even make it in time to stop them, so I did what I had to. And not _all_ of them. The high priest couldn't be bothered so he lived,"

"This may surprise you, but Helios was actually disappointed that you didn't finish him off," she replied. "He would've done the deed himself, if he'd been able."

"Hyperion and my father never got along either," Diana said with an almost savage grin.

Selene frowned with distaste. "I never liked that name. 'Hyperion' always seemed rather gauche. I suppose that's fitting, given his character."

"He's a meanie butt-head," Apolla huffed.

"Apolla!" Mir scolded, "We don't talk like that!"

"But it's _true_!"

"To be fair, she isn't wrong," Selene offered.

"No but her mother will kill me,"

"And wouldn't that be-"

 _Skritt._

"...entertaining," she trailed off. "What was that?"

Diana laid a hand on her hilt and Apolla froze, looking into the darkness.

"Apolla," Selene slowly said, "find someplace safe. _Now_."

Apolla didn't question it, she started towards a pillar that had been snapped in half and created a barrier between it and the wall, and hunkered down, her stormy blue eyes watching the Lunar deity and her representative.

 ** _Skrittskrittskrittskrittskritt…_**

It was coming from a hallway on the opposite end of the room, steadily growing louder by the second. The hall was veiled in shadow, pierced only by the approaching chitter. Selene narrowed her eyes at the source, letting her hand fall open. Her scythe materialized out of silver light, gleaming wickedly.

Diana's grip tightened on her khopesh and her glow surged, bathing the darkened temple with silver moonlight. Apolla whimpered and hunkered down again. There'd been attacks on the mountain before, but she'd always been in the house while her parents fought back outside. This was something completely new...and it terrified her.

For a brief moment, the sound stopped. The light of Diana's blade had given it pause.

And then it returned with a shrieking cacophony, as thousands upon thousands of warped and twisted monstrosities flooded from the shadows.

Apolla shrieked, Diana set her feet in a ready position, khopesh angled so that she could slash. There was no way she was going to let those _things_ get Apolla.

Dozens of Voidborn shrieked horrifically, dashing in a frenzied skitter towards Diana. They instantly fell to a flash of light that cleaved through the entire wave, halting the others in their advance. An explosion of the same light threw them back, while the front line disintegrated into dust.

Selene was ruthlessly efficient. Her scythe blurred in her hands, the blade singing a sickly sweet song with each swing. She moved around the room at a dizzying speed, cutting down Voidborn by the dozen each time she struck.

What Voidborn didn't go after Selene, targeted Diana. The Aspect raised her blade, three globes of silver-white light coming into being around her. She swung her blade as an arc of moonlight blazed from the silver metal. Blazes of light ignited around the Voidborn struck by the arc and Diana dashed forwards, a blue of moonlight and quicksilver. She slammed her blade into the ground, the temple stones shattering as white light blazed from every crack in the stones, dragging the Voidborn closer to her. The three globes broke as they struck the creatures, shattering and melding into a large shield around her. She whirled her blade around, cutting through the armor of one creature, completely bisecting it. She darted through the monsters, a streak of deadly quicksilver as her long white-blonde hair floated around her like a flame.

"Try not to strain yourself too much," Selene told her. She tapped her scythe on the ground, and a wave of light erupted from the base, repelling the horde and temporarily granting them some breathing room. "Wouldn't want to injure the baby, would we?"

"Right…" Diana nodded, "I was wondering why I was slower...sorry, went straight into, as my sister would say, 'fight mode',"

"One second." Selene pushed Diana aside, then used a blast of lunar energy to separate the front line from the rest of the swarm. She swept her scythe upwards, the blade glowing a pale blue. To Diana's surprise, a wall of water erupted from the ground in the hallway's entrance, cutting the swarm off. Selene clenched her fist, and it hardened into a thick sheet of ice, preventing the swarm from advancing any further.

"Right. That should make things easier for us." Selene gestured to them with her head. "I don't think you'll have any trouble with them, will you?"

"Not one bit," Diana smiled, readying her blade again, "I just don't want them to get to Apolla. Leona would have my _head_ if anything happened to her,"

"I'll look after her," she assured her. "You go and enjoy yourself."

"Gladly," Diana nodded as she dashed forwards in a streak of silver moonlight.

"Apolla?" Selene turned to lightly rap her knuckles on the barrier. "Are you alright?"

The child gave a whimper but nodded as her glow shone brighter and brighter from the fear.

Selene gently shushed her, putting her hand against it. "It's alright. It's alright. No one's going to hurt you. Everything will be fine. It won't be much longer, now."

Apolla nodded, but huddled closer into her little ball. Diana however, was still going at the monsters, slashing her blade through their armor, hissing sounds flew up as the metal ate through the voidlings' flesh with the same look as acid eating through anything. Black, tar-like blood dropped from the curve of her blade and stuck to her boots as it pooled over the floor. But, soon enough, the hoard that had been cut off by Selene's wall was decimated. Diana turned back to her deity and her niece.

"I believe that's all of them on this side of the wall," she said.

Selene frowned at the wall of ice. "We'll have to deal with the rest later. And I, for one, am curious as to how they got in here in the first place."

"We _are_ near one of the Rifts, Icathia isn't too far a travel from here in the first place," Diana explained, "perhaps one of the rifts opened?"

"On their own?" She asked. "I doubt it."

She looked to a hallway adjacent to the one she'd blocked off, eyes narrowing. "I wonder…"

"Down there perhaps?" Diana asked, "their little helper?"

"Maybe," Selene replied, "though I'm not so certain about _little._ "

"Apolla, it's safe now," she called. "You can come out."

The little girl cautiously crawled out of her little hidey hole, her stormy blue eyes luminous in the dark. She immediately went over to her aunt and hid behind her leg.

"Scary…" she whimpered.

"I know," Diana soothed, "But we're going to make sure that whoever did this is not going to do it again, ok?"

"O-Okay…"

"Just stick with us," Selene said, walking towards the hallway. "You'll be fine if you do."

The hallway's floor was chipped and cracked, chasms into the mountain's heart opened up at some point which caused Diana to pick up Apolla and leap over the chasms, landing a tad awkwardly a couple times. Veins of silver ran through the marble, glowing in the presence of the Lunar deity and her Aspect, though the farther they went, the dimmer it glowed, becoming corrupted with a harsh violet color due to the Void's influence. There was a faint scuttle above them every now and then, but Selene's presence kept the source at bay. The walls and floor sprouted webbed cracks further down, each one pulsing with the essence of the Void. Selene kept Apolla's eyes off them. She knew what would happen if she looked for too long.

"Pity," she muttered. "I rather liked the decor, too."

"As did I," Mir agreed, "No 'polla, don't look. It's bad,"

"I wanna go home…" Apolla whimpered, "But I don't wanna let this keep happenin'..."

"It'll be over soon." Selene glowered ahead. The light from the end of the hall had become almost blinding. "We're here."

Mir looked up at the center of the room and frowned.

"That's Maximilian," she blinked as Malzahar's Chosen raised his arms, almost as if he were calling something through the massive glowing portal before him, "...we told him to _stop_ that…not on our mountain!"

" ** _MALZAHAR!_** " Selene yelled. The walls of the temple shook, shaking debris from the ceiling.

The Prophet of the Void faltered in his ritual.

He turned to face the trio, and his gaze lingered on Apolla, who instinctively ducked behind her aunt. Her mother warned her to stay away from him.

"If it is Diana, her little doppelgänger, and the Lady of the Moon," Maximilian deadpanned, "how quaint. Here to watch the show?"

"We _told_ you to stay away from our mountain, Maximilian," Mir snapped.

"Since when as that stopped me? The veil is thinnest here,"

"And how about _me?_ " Selene leveled the blade of her scythe at his heart. "I'm only going to give you this one chance, Malzahar. Stop this. **_Now._** "

"Why should I," the Prophet of the Void snorted, "you can't hurt me. The League would have your head and you know it,"

" _Context,_ Malzahar," she tutted. "What do you think's going to happen when I tell them about this? I'd be more worried about myself, if I were you."

"They know I do things like this, it is not new. And it isn't like I am able to actually bring something large out. Not without...something to give back,"

Again his eyes rested on Apolla who gave a squeak and hid again.

Selene's eyes smoldered with silver flames. "Absolutely _not._ The League will have your head if you so much as lay a _finger_ on her...assuming I don't take it first."

"Since you came here, I've seen you do nothing worth noting. A little burst of anger when the Solari came after your precious Aspect, but nothing beyond that. You've given me no reason to fear you,"

A vein bulged in her forehead.

"Apolla, hold this." Selene offer her the scythe.

The little girl held the weapon with wide, stormy blue eyes.

"M-Miss Selene?" She stammered.

"You may also want to cover your eyes," Selene advised.

She flashed a smile at the prophet, cracking her knuckles.

"Now then. Let's get down to it, shall we?"

* * *

"So...what exactly did you do to him?" Helios asked, squinting against the glass.

"You don't want to know," Selene drily replied.

He smirked, and they fist-bumped. "Sorry that I wasn't around to help you out. I would've gotten the Star Guardians together, but they were all busy."

"Does it look like I needed help?" She asked, gesturing to the room behind the glass barrier.

At the moment, Malzahar was propped up in a hospital bed, sobbing uncontrollably through his full body cast. He'd been unresponsive since the three had brought him back, refusing to answer Akali's questions.

"You would think they would learn by now not to mess with deities…" Andrew sighed.

"He needs to be watched more closely, from now on." Selene folded her arms. "Vandalising my temple is one thing, but threatening a child is another."

"That's why we keep a close eye on the children," Andrew explained, "And why we were so upset about Helios' stunt earlier with these three. They'd think they don't have to listen to their parents and then start wandering off...where people like Maximillian here are waiting. Could you imagine the Hell that would come if Torin was hurt? Or Artemis or _any_ of Leona's kids for that matter. That's why we told you to clean it up and take responsibility for it. So that the kids wouldn't take it as a 'we can push the limits and disobey and wander off',"

"That was different," Helios rebutted. "I was watching them. _And_ I sent them to Braum after we'd finished. Don't mistake my disregard for the rules as a lack of responsibility, Andrew. I'll do my part. You just make sure to do yours." Selene nodded in agreement.

"Believe me, I'll make sure of that,"

Helios seemed to be satisfied enough with that. "Good. We won't have any issues in the future, then."

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he fished it out. "Hello? Oh, hey. Yeah, I'll be there soon. Just finished taking care of something with my sister. Okay, I'll see you then. Bye."

He stuffed the device pack into his pocket. "Welp, that's my cue to leave." He snapped his fingers and pointed at them, walking backward towards the door. "Got a hot date."

"Just don't go terrorizing the mortals," Andrew told him.

"Ha. If anything, they've been giving _me_ the stink-eye ever since I started dating Ahri. But yeah, sure, whatever you say." He turned on his heels, waving over his shoulder. "Later."

Selene exhaled, watching him leave. "It's still jarring, seeing him like this."

"With a girlfriend?"

She nodded. "Before now, my brother really wasn't one for relationships. He'd indulge in a one-night stand on occasion, whenever he was feeling lonely, but this…" She wordlessly shook her head. "I do want him to be happy, but I honestly never saw this coming."

"The same with Ahri, she unfortunately has been teased by some of the other Champions because of her reputation. I am glad she is happy though,"

She hummed. "As am I."

She could only hope that it would last.

 **Not sure what will happen next. But, knowing Fic it'll be interesting.**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)  
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)**

 **Pantheon-Arthur Jonson**

 **Diana-Mir Marama**

 **Ahri-Ariel Royal**

 **Syndra-Silvia Lazar (Umbero)**

 **Jinx-Mya Grace (Allen)**

 **Miss Fortune- Sarah Flint**

 **Garen-Kaiden Darkhound**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye (Diamond)**

 **Elise-Eva Faye**

 **Poppy-Adrian Krazozinski**

 **Janna-Kyra Makani**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 **Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)**

 **Leona-Janie Noble**

 **...And then there are** **Helios and Selene.**

 **Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!**

 **Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

 **Máriessë ar mára tecië**

 **Farewell and fair writing**

 **Elhini Prime signing off.**


	14. Chapter 14

**So...uh...an apology from the three of us. Inspiration kinda lagged. But, to make it up, we have a long chapter for you! I know it's not summer anymore, but here it feels like it. So, enjoy!**

Chapter XIV

"Why is it so _hot_?" Krista groaned, flopped on a couch with her arm over her eyes.

"You're dead, I thought you couldn't feel the weather," Amber smirked.

"I don't feel the _cold_. There is nothing in the Dead People's Handbook about not feeling this hellish weather!"

The door to the lounge swung open. "Hey guys," Helios said. "Got anything fun to do? I'm bo- _ohhh,_ crap."

He bashfully laughed, pulling at his collar. "It's, uh...oh boy, it's that time of year again. I'd forgotten about that."

"You're a _god_ , can't you do something's not about well... _you_?" Krista asked, pointing out the window.

"I mean, I _would,_ but there's this thing called _science._ " He leaned forward and took a swan dive onto the couch next to her. She bounced from the impact, but was too hot to care. Her clothes were drenched in sweat, plastered to her skin. "What do you think would happen if I altered my true form's temperature?" He asked, rolling over to sit upright.

"It'd not be a hellscape out there!"

"Um...Krista…" Amber pointed out, "lots of things would die if he did,"

" _Thank you_ ," he said. "Sure, you'd all be fine for about eight minutes if I _did,_ but after that it'd just be a shitfest. And I'm not into the mood to deal with that kinda thing right now."

"The what to you suggest we do," Krista demanded, sitting up, "cause not all of us have the luxury of being able to keep themselves cool,"

She tilted her head towards Amber, who gave a smirk and flicked her tail, splashing Krista with water.

" _Thaaaaanks_ ," she huffed.

"What, you said you were hot!" Amber smirked, "and I bet someone else would say the same,"

"Shut up!" Krista hissed, looking very alert.

"Oh, what, you mean Gar?" He stretched back against the leather, sighing contentedly as he felt his spine pop. "Yeah, I already know about that."

"Is there anything you _don't_ know?" Krista huffed.

"A few things." He opened one hand, and started counting with his fingers. "One: I don't know the Question to Life, the Universe and Everything. Even Aurelion hasn't cracked that one. Two: I don't know who Vi's into, but so help me gods I _will_ find out eventually. And _three:_ I don't know what you and Gar were doing last night. But I have an inkling of an idea, because it was _loud._ "

"You know _nothing_ Jon Snow!" Krista smirked, crossing her arms, "and that is for you to never find out,"

He hummed, and then his lip curled into a smirk. "I guess I'll have to be satisfied with the dialogue, then. Something about needing him to-"

"You shut your filthy pie hole or I'll fill you with spears," she hissed.

"How many other people know?" He asked, ignoring her discomfort.

"My team. And Cira...freaking matchmaker _guessed_ …"

He tut-tutted. "That's it? How disappointing." He fixed her with an evil grin. "If anything, the whole _Institute_ should know that your reputation is a lie."

" _Reputation?"_ She sputtered, "you stay out of people's love life bud, it won't end well for you if you don't,"

"I dunno, you're gonna have to give me incentive not to." He was enjoying every bit of it, damn him.

"I won't fill you with spears and rip them out in a painful manner,"

"Try harder."

"Oh you don't understand. I will personally make sure that you won't have any little baby kits with Ahri,"

He snorted. "You wouldn't be the first to try. I think the heat's getting to your head, Krista."

"Then _do_ somethin' about it so I can come up with a proper comeback!"

"Sure thing. Amber, flood the room."

"Wait what." Krista blinked as Amber shrugged, whirling her staff and slammed it into the floor.

Water started pooling around the staff and rapidly covering the floor. Krista started trying to get up to higher ground as it reached her calves. Helios, on the other hand, crossed his legs on the mahogany coffee table in front of him, resting both hands on his navel. "Feel any better yet, Krista?" He asked, as the water level came up to his neck and her waist.

She shot him a glare.

"Stay out of my personal life," she repeated, "yes I feel better but it's still going to be bad once we leave,"

"I've done all I can do," Amber shrugged, "dunno what else you'd want me to do,"

He repeated her gesture. "It really depends on what Krista's come up with." The water had risen past his mouth, so it came out somewhat garbled.

"What do you _want_ ," she hissed.

"I'm still deciding on that," he replied, now completely submerged. "I'll get back to you when I think of something good."

The door suddenly opened, and the group washed out into the hallway. They found a sopping wet Caitlyn standing there, flatly glaring at the lot of them.

"Top 'a 'da mornin' to 'ya, Cait." Helios waved from his splayed out position on the floor. "What brings you here?"

"What is going _on_?" She demanded, "I came in here because it felt cooler here, I thought one of the air conditioners was here,"

"No, sadly," Krista huffed.

"Air conditioners?" Helios quirked a brow. "What about 'em?"

"There are only a few…"

"I _had_ been wondering why everyone's been sweating so vehemently. I know it gets hot during this time of year, but usually the Institute can handle it." He scratched his chin. "They're gone, you say? How?"

"A few champions stole them. I thought they would be here…"

"Why the hell would you assume that I did it?" He actually looked offended. "I'm not so cruel as to deny people their sacred right to air conditioning. That would be almost as bad as denying their right to bacon."

"I see they're not here, so I'm going to continue my search...probably after making sure Vi isn't making trouble…" Caitlyn sighed.

"You mean like that time we dressed up like posh British people and wouldn't stop making fun of your accent?"

"Precisely," she huffed, "or worse, she's gone and picked a fight with someone just because she can. I didn't know that Projects had to have active babysitters…"

 _WHAM!_

" _HANDS OFF MY PROPERTY, PANSIES!_ "

"The hell?" Helios craned his neck in the direction of the outburst, coming from around the corner. "What's all that about?"

"I don't know but let's find out," Caroline hummed.

"Count us in too," Amber agreed.

Helios jumped to his feet with a frown. "I could've sworn that was Vi I heard. What's gotten _her_ so riled up?"

"I don't know...is it possible for Projects to the overheat?" Caroline asked, "if could be that…"

He shrugged. "I'd have to check the schematics I, ah, _borrowed_ from Caleb. But, well, we can do that later. Onward!"

Vi's yelling was coming from one of the Institute's atriums. She wasn't the only one, either. A chorus of disjointed shouts and insults accompanied her own outbursts. As the group got closer, bits and pieces and belongings from various champions started flying past. At one point they were almost blindsided by one of Blitzcrank's arms.

They entered the atrium, and instantly developed flat stares.

Nearly the entire Institute, including the Summoners, were waging war against each other for a single air conditioning unit. Most of them had stripped down to their undergarments, dogpiling over each other in a sweat-stained tangle of limbs. Vi herself currently had the unit in her possession, awkwardly trying to fend off Tryndamere, who smelled-

The group wrinkled their noses. " _Wow,_ " Helios said, grimacing. "That's...a hell of a stench."

"Vi just let him have it!" Amelia begged, "think of Vasher who can't shut her sense of smell off!"

"I ain't forgiving that little monster for the mustache fiasco!" Vi snapped, "consider it revenge. Whatcha gonna do, old timer? Shoot me?"

"Tempted!" Came the queen's retort.

Suddenly, a golden blur rushed Vi, and grabbed the unit from the project. "IT'S OURS NOW!" Janie crowed as she ran towards a grinning Lucian and Dianne.

"THAT IS MINE! PAWS OFF!" Violet shrieked as she gave chase.

"Nope!" Janie smirked before yelling, "Dianne, commence diversion W!"

"Gladly," Death replied, pointing a finger at the cop. Almost immediately, Wolf bounded forward and charged Vi.

Vi skidded to a stop, her projector flickering as her gauntlets lit up a harsh orange.

"You want all your teeth, Wolf, then STAY OUTTA MY WAY!"

" **I do not fear you,** " Wolf growled out. " **I only fear this inescapable, infernal heat.** "

"Warned you!" Violet told him as her visor blazed and she shot forwards, knocking him aside as she locked into the other Project, "Janie that AC is _mine!"_

"Arthur!" the woman called out, tossing the machine to her fellow project. He caught it, but ended up looking like a deer in the headlights as he watched Violet reach Janie.

"Annnnd I'll take _that_ ," came Sienna's voice as she grabbed the unit from the staring Purifier and went towards her husband, who was holding a crying Jayvyn.

She felt a cold chain wrap around her wrist.

"Going somewhere?" Hayden asked, smirking maliciously.

"Yeah, away from you!" Came the retort as she pulled out her gun and shot him in the hand.

Hayden yelled and the chain went slack as Senna gave a grin and sauntered off, blowing smoke off the barrel before flipping it into its holster.

"Can we share, Sienna?!" Dianne called out as she chased. "Fur is hot!"

Sienna opened her mouth to protest when she tripped over a white boot accented with red gold and orange.

"And that would be mine," Cira smirked, flipping her long red ponytail off her shoulder. Thank you for the express delivery,"

Dianne collapsed in front of her. "Please almighty sun. Spare me."

"You think _fur_ is hot? I don't look like I'm wearing it because _someone,"_ she shot Helios a scathing glare, "made _this_ my default...but metal armor is _hot_ ,"

Dianne let out small whining sounds from her spot on the ground.

"Where are the other units? I know this isn't the only one…" Cira hummed. Helios empathetically patted Dianne on the shoulder while she groveled.

"Not entirely certain," Ahri huffed as she strutted up, tails twitching every which way behind her. A small fan rested in one hand and she was sporting a short skirt and a tank top. Clearly, even she was bothered by the heat. "Helios and I secured one but… the whereabouts of the rest? Not so much."

"Hm…" Helios started scratching at his chin. "My money's on Vasher. This seems like something she would do. Plus…" A bashful grin crossed his face. "I _may_ have instructed her to practice with her own independent pranks before our collaborations. Just to warm up." He snickered while the others groaned at the pun.

"If not, well…" He shrugged. "There are other possible candidates. Just have to sort through them all."

Dianne groaned again. "Why can't it be winter? Winter is nice with fur…" she mumbled. "I don't have to fight over air conditioneeeeeers."

"On the bright side, you're Death, so it's not like you'll die," he replied. "I mean, you'll still _wish_ you were dead, but...it's something."

"I didn't even do it!" Vasher whined, "I'm too hooooooot! I wanna go back home! I wanna play with my puppy! And daddy needs a bath!"

"I think he needs more than that." Helios wrinkled his nose. "At this rate it's gonna take a week to get the smell to go away. Geez, Tryn, what's up with your armpits?"

"Heat and I do not mix," the king growled, "hence why I stay in the North. Where it is _cold_ ,"

"And where you also do not shave your armpits. Because gods know that they need it."

"You're about to meet the bad side of my blade…"

"You still aren't denying it."

"It's extra protection against the cold!"

"For gods' sake Tryndamere, you don't even wear a _shirt._ I doubt that losing a bit of hair will make much of a difference."

"He...might have a point…" Amelia admitted.

"Amelia!" Matthew sputtered.

"Besides, it's not like Ashe doesn't want to see more of your bare skin anyways," Helios said.

Now it was her turn to sputter.

"What have we told you about other people's love lives!" Amelia screeched.

"Piss on that, Ahri and I want entertainment," he replied.

" _Entertainment_?!"

"Something to distract the two of us from the weather, perhaps," Ahri grinned.

"Then let's find something that _doesn't_ involve people poking into love lives?" Krista asked, "like...I dunno...making the summoners open the pool maybe?"

"A pool party, huh?" Helios pondered the idea. "If it's on the Institute's private island, that might not be such a bad idea."

"You just want to see a certain someone in her swimsuit," Leona pointed out.

"I- what- _no!_ I mean-" His face turned a deep shade of crimson. "...Damn you."

"Payback's a female dog, ain't it?" Cira smirked.

"I AM NOT!" Krista yelled.

"Not what I meant, Krista! You know that!"

Ahri smirked. "I'll find my best swimsuit for you if you convince them."

His rounded eyes darted across her figure, relaying all the enticing possibilities to his brain. "...Consider me motivated."

"Pervert," Krista smirked.

"Oh, like you're one to talk. You want me to tell them about how you were eyeing Gar's ass during breakfast?"

She gave him a seething glare.

" _Almost_ as bad as Korosensei," Cira bored, chuckling, " _almost,_ "

"You know what sounds really great?" He asked. "Making Illaoi do Korosensei cosplay for this year's Comic-Con."

"Vel would be better at it,".

"Well, whose reaction would you want to see more?"

"Both would be funny. But Illaoi has more of a sense of humor than Vel. I want to see him to be honest,"

"Meh. Fine. ANYWAY!" He started goose-stepping in the direction of the door. "Time to go see Andrew about a pool party!"

"And yes." He pointed a finger over his shoulder at Jinx before she could even open her mouth. "There will be water guns."

"REMATCH DAVID! And no rewinding time!" Mya shouted to her husband, who rolled his eyes.

And so it began.

* * *

"I'm going to kill him," Cira grumbled as she crossed her arms over her bare abdomen.

 _"Again, remind me to thank him,"_ Arthur chuckled, " _I haven't seen that look since our honeymoon,"_

Cira was in a pale blue bikini that lovingly showcased her toned form, a filmy coverup wrapped around her waist was all she had in terms of 'decency' while a golden sun hair clip glinted in her hair.

"And again, you might want to keep that opinion to yourself else she stabs us," Pantheon warned, pulling the brim of his hat down.

"Can we go play now?" Artemis asked tugging on her father's swimming trunks.

"Sunscreen first kiddo," Cira scolded.

"Awww!" All four Aspect Children whined.

After a hefty amount of string-pulling, Helios had secured the champions a three-day vacation at the Institute's tropical resort. Andrew had apparently made him give some form of concession in return, though the details were a little ambiguous to Cira and the others. The six currently sat in their striped beach chairs by one of the twelve (yes, _twelve_ ) pools, which was already packed. The pool sat right next to the beach, offering a splendid view of the waves that lapped at the sunkissed shore. Sand pits for volleyball had been placed adjacent to the structure, so that they wouldn't obscure the scene for the guests.

"Well." Selele adjusted her silver-rimmed sunglasses. "The Institute's certainly no slouch in the provisions department, I'll give them that." She was sporting a navy strapless bikini under a black button-up shirt that had the ends tied at the front. A sarong the of the same color was tied around her waist, while a pair of flip-flops snugly wrapped around her feet.

"No, they aren't," Mir agreed as she turned a page in her book from under the umbrella, "little too sunny for my tastes but eh,"

Selene tilted her head down to stare at her from behind her sunglasses. "Mir, I realize that you may be one of my Lunari, but even I have to admit that that's a little too cliché."

"I have two shades, white and lobster," Mir snorted, "not even the best sunscreen helps,"

"I remember when I used to be like that…" Cira sighed, "then I got stuck with Leo and that wasn't an issue anymore,"

 _"You say that like it's a bad thing!"_ Leona scoffed.

"It comes with the healthcare package!" Helios's voice called. "I can set you up, if you're willing to switch religions!"

His deal with Andrew apparently involved working at a bar. The shack where he was stationed was fairly standard in design, consisting of palmwood boarding and a thatch roof. Drink machines sat on a counter behind him, with a menu nailed to the wall above. A pair of coolers had been placed in the corner, presumably filled with more refreshments. Alcoholic drinks were displayed for the adults on shelves adjacent to him.

And then there were his clothes. He was wearing the loudest Hawaiian shirt any of them had ever seen, bearing an almost cacophonous mix of red, orange, white, yellow and pink (that last color threw them off a little bit). His maroon swim trunks were relatively tame in comparison, though the color clashed with the rest of his ensemble.

"I look awful in red so forget it," Diana called.

"Ah, I wouldn't say _that_ just yet." He leaned forward as they came over, bracing his arms against the counter in front of him. "It would only take a bit of cosmetic work."

"No way are you doing anything to me," Diana growled, putting her hand on her stomach, "No magic near the baby, ok? I don't want to risk something going wrong,"

He held up his hands. "Fair enough. Though, fair warning, I _will_ consider you fair game afterward."

"If it gives me just a little peace for now, Fine. But no way am I _ever_ praising you," Mir snorted.

"We'll see about that." He adjusted his grip on the counter. "But enough about that. Can I get you guys anything? It doesn't cost anything for champions, and I'm kind of required to do this kinda thing anyway."

"We're staying away from that stuff," Arthur said as Cira's eyes narrowed, "we don't want a repeat of last time…"

"Baby," Mir replied, "plus I've got water,"

"Oh, _please,_ like I would really target the same couple using the same method _twice._ " Helios rolled his eyes. " _Besides,_ I'm actually getting _paid_ for this. I'm not gonna screw it up by spiking the drinks."

"You would get great enjoyment out of spiking Vi's wouldn't you. _You_ want to see who she's got a thing for," Cira pointed out.

He blinked, then pulled out a notepad and pen from a drawer under the counter, scribbling something down.

"Guess I'll save _that_ idea for later, then." He stuffed them back into the drawer. "Now, drinks? Most of them are kid-friendly, I swear."

"I want that one, Mama!" Apolla chirped, pointing at one of the drinks, almost violently blue, "it looks pretty!"

"Same!" Her other siblings chirped.

"They're all going to be smurfs by the end of the day…" Cira groaned.

"Eh, the water will wash it off," her husband chuckled, "we'll take the best of the non-alcoholic stuff you've got as well as what the kids want, Helios,"

"Alright, coming right up." In an instant, he had them lined up on the counter for them, courtesy of his superhuman speed. "I only offer the best service to my customers."

"Thanks," Arthur nodded.

"What do you four say…" Cira started as the kids grabbed their drinks.

"Thank you Uncle Helios!" The kids beamed before running off.

He started, then shook his head with a chuckle, folding his arms on the counter. "Ugh, I'm gonna turn into a sappy pile of mush one day, just from being in proximity to them.

"You did good with them, you two. They're gonna be just fine, I can tell."

"You've already gone soft, Helios." Selene nudged him playfully over the counter. "You just don't want to admit it yet."

"...Shut up."

She laughed. He pouted.

"She isn't wrong," Leona pointed out, pointing a finger, "in fact...I see one of his soft spots on her way here,"

"Huh?"

And then he saw her.

 _Oh, gods._

Ahri walked casually towards the bar, her bangs swept low and fluffy white tails swinging lazily behind her. She had on a bikini that heavily resembled her outfit that she wore for the League. The top portion was a wine red with white accents and a red tassel was hanging from from the center. The lower portion of the swimsuit had a half skirt, which was slightly above mid thigh on one side. It was white and had a red and gold band around her waist.

"Hello, Helios," she purred as she reached the bar.

 _Ohgodsohgodsohgodsohgodsohgods._

He had _not_ been prepared. He'd been expecting a show, but... _gods._

"Uh...h-h-h-hi," He stammered. He kicked himself right after, cursing his idiocy. "You, um...wow. Uh, yeah. You look, um...y'know." _Idiot, idiot, **idiot!**_ This wasn't the way it was supposed to go, _dammit!_ He was supposed to be the cool one! He didn't get tongue-tied when staring at- _oh sweet gods she was right in front of him._

"Cat got his tongue...or should I say _fox_ ," Cira chuckled, "c'mon dear, let's go,"

And with that the two Aspects left, Selene joining them. As entertaining as it would be to watch, she knew when it was best not to ruin the moment.

Ahri gave a small laugh as she leaned against the bar. "You're the bartender for all of us today?" She reached up with a hand and brushed her bangs away from her eyes a bit so that she could see him better. And so he could see her golden eyes.

"Hm?" He snapped himself out of his trance. "Yes! I am! I'm the bartender! Got everybody's drinks covered!" He laughed awkwardly. "You know me, it's nothing I can't handle!"

He wanted to die.

Ahri gave a smirk, though didn't laugh. "Will you be able to swim or join us in a game of volleyball later, perhaps?" She asked with a slight tilt of her head.

He glanced at a clock on the wall next to him. "...Should be. I can take a break in about an hour. But, um, fair warning." He gently tugged at his collar. "I can be...pretty competitive."

Ahri shrugged. "It'll still be fun." She leaned towards him, over the bar. Her tails moved hypnotically behind her as she smiled, "and afterwards I can hang out here and get a drink." The fox gave him a near feral grin.

 _Oh good gods he was doomed._

"I have very mixed feelings about the implications you're making," he said, with a half-nervous, half-pleased smile.

She shrugged as she stood back up properly. "I have no idea what you mean. Implications? _No, no_ Helios. I'm not making _implications_." The grin finally went all the way to feral. "I'm making _promises_."

Without waiting for a response, she walked off, hips swaying ever so slightly. Helios couldn't prevent himself from staring after her.

He looked down. " _Down,_ boy. I'm as excited as you are, but this really isn't the best time." He wiped away a few beads of sweat that had accumulated on his forehead, attempting to calm the thunderous beating of his heart. "Gods, what that woman does to me…"

"Aren't you supposed to be working?" Came Shyvana's voice as she and Jarvan came up, the latter holding her in his arms with a great deal of tenderness.

"I was _getting_ to that," he replied. "Hello to you too."

"Looked to me you were...well, I bet I can imagine but hey. I'm a good queen and am going to stay out of people's love lives…" Sonja smiled.

"That's a lie and you know it," Zack countered.

"He _is_ my grandfather," Shyvana smirked.

"Sometimes I think you take after me a little _too_ well," Helios said.

"Hey, I've been alone for how long? I have a right to tease you," she grinned.

"Fair point. Now, are you only here to do _that,_ or do you actually want something?"

"Can't have anything too crazy, what do you recommend?" She asked.

"Well, we've got a lot of drinks with really cheesy names that I'm not gonna bother listing," he said, checking the drink machines. "Hm...how do you feel about mango, pineapple, orange and banana all at once?"

"Sounds good," Sonja nodded, "I just can't have any alcohol…too far along,"

"If you've got anything watermelon I'll take that," Zack said.

"Done." Their drinks were instantly on the counter in front of them.

"Thank you," Sonja smiled and Zack nodded his thanks as well, "save a game of volleyball later?"

"Ahri asked me the same thing a minute ago," he recalled. "If you want to get completely destroyed, sure. I'm game."

"Who said anything about us being on opposite teams," she smirked.

"Sweetheart, I'm your grandpa," he reminded her. "I have to show you how it's done, even if it means humiliating you in front of your husband."

"Bring it on, gramps," she grinned, "I get Syndra then,"

" _Ha!_ " He scoffed. "Just wait until you see _my_ team. You're gonna be nursing your arse all week by the time I'm done with you."

"You think I'm scared of you? Ha, that's funny,"

"Oh, you will be, Shy. You will be."

* * *

"Come on, Krista! The water is fine!" Amber beamed splashing.

"You're a fish. That doesn't tell me much," Krista deadpanned as she waded into the waves.

"I mean, even cold as ice Lissandra over there is getting in," Amber pointed out.

"I'm in the water aren't I?"

Krista dove beneath the waves, the muffled sounds of laughter on the beach reaching her ears before she swam farther out towards her teammate. She resurfaced, shaking the water from her long dark hair.

"How long can you stay down for?" Amber asked.

"Dunno, never tried it,"

"What? Gar never take you down to his shipwreck?"

"Don't you start!" Krista scolded as Amber cackled.

The Tidecaller splashed her friend, getting a splutter from the spectre, whose eyes narrowed and a water fight ensued. Krista grabbed Amber's shoulders and dunked her under the water, laughing loudly as Amber resurfaced and gave her quite the stink eye.

"Y-Your face!" Krista cackled, doubled over, "oh God your _face_!"

At the far end of the pool, hidden by the crowd, a dark silhouette silently glowered at the both of them. It dove back down beneath the surface, circling the pair like a shark. It wove around limbs that were in the way, staying close to the bottom to avoid detection.

Krista was too busy laughing at her friend to notice. She finally straightened up, wiping what would be tears of laughter from her eyes.

"Oh God…" she gasped, still chuckling.

The predator swam under Lissandra, ducked around Kai'Sa and slipped past Annie, angling so that it was directly behind Krista. She still hadn't detected its presence.

"Ah that made my day," she beamed, splashing the water around her.

The predator finally breached the surface. It moved at a slow but deliberate pace towards her, creating only the faintest ripples.

It slunk closer... _closer... **closer**_ …

And then whispered " _Hi_ " right in her ear.

Krista shrieked, jumping almost clear out of the water, eyes wild as she whipped around with hand in a fist until she saw who it was.

"GAR!" She screeched, "I THOUGHT!"

She splashed him with water.

"I TOLD!"

 _Splash!_

"YOU NOT TO DO THAT TO ME!"

 _Splash! Splash! Splash!_

Pyke's dark-skinned Chosen allowed his scarred lips to curl up into a small smile, unaffected by her onslaught. "We both know you like what comes afterward."

"We...I...w-well…" Krista stammered.

He leaned in and kissed her.

She stiffened for a moment before relaxing, leaning into him. If she was honest...it was... _nice_ to actually have someone she could trust who wouldn't stab her in the back.

"Still mad?" He asked, after he'd pulled away.

"You're gonna have to do a _lot_ better than that if you want me to forgive you, Gar Rivers," Krista huffed, poking him in the chest.

"Hn." Gar pondered this for a moment. "Meaning…?"

"Maybe not here in the presence of children," she smirked, "We'll see,"

"I'm not a very patient person," he replied. "Don't take too long to decide."

"I know what I want, unfortunately, we can't exactly do it _here_. Leona, Ashe and all the other mothers would kill us both," she told him before whispering something in his ear, "What do you think?"

His eyes narrowed. "Fine. I'll wait."

"Awwww, look at how cute you two are," Amber cooed.

Krista immediately whirled around, blushing.

"You saw nothing and you are going to _say_ nothing," she hissed.

"Oh come on, I think it's sweet!" Amber protested, "You finally have someone who isn't a bloody psychopath,"

"I never said I wasn't a psychopath." Gar revealed his harpoon, fingering the edge. "I'm kinda feeling like sushi today, if I'm being honest."

"You keep that harpoon _away_ from me!" Amber hissed, backing up, "It was just a joke. I'm happy for her, honest,"

She _really_ did not want a repeat of what happened when they first met.

Krista was about to reply, then paused. Her lips pressed together tightly, narrowing her eyes at a shady spot beneath a copse of pine trees, on the other side of the pool.

Harry was sitting sideways on his chair, clad in a simple pair of swim trunks. He swept his gaze across the pool area (rolling his eyes as he saw Mya prepare her water guns), until it finally landed on the group.

"He _is_ a Champion too," Amber admitted begrudgingly, "so he's allowed where we are,"

Gar let out a low, guttural growl, glowering in his direction. He wasn't too happy with the idea either.

Harry sensed their gaze and gave a smirk, giving a slight salute. Krista hissed and started forwards only for Amber to grab her by the back of her skirt.

"You'll get in trouble," Amber muttered.

Gar's eyes flashed bright blue. " _Not if we don't get caught,_ " Pyke said. " _It's easy to gut someone and make it look like anyone could've done it."_

Krista's eyes flashed white.

 ** _"Yes, that is true…"_** Kalista hummed.

Amber splashed them both.

"You two do realize that if anything happened to him, you both would be suspect?"

"Not that anyone would miss him," Gar muttered.

"His summoners would,"

"They'll get over it."

"No killing off the rift!"

"Rules are meant to be-" Gar paused, squinting behind Amber. "What are they doing?"

"I don't know…" Amber admitted, "But considering it's Helios and Ahri I doubt it's good…"

The two of them were surreptitiously tiptoeing up behind Harry, each holding something behind their back.

" _Please_ be a water balloon…" Krista grinned savagely.

They loomed over him, cackling silently to themselves.

And then, they each pulled out…

A lobster. And not just any lobster: Bilgewatian Scarlet Snappers, a particularly voracious breed.

And before Harry could react, they pulled open his swim trunks and shoved them in.

What came out of the Shadow of War was something between a human scream and a horse's shriek as the equine spirit shot up, bucking wildly as he cursed so badly the Bilgewater Champions all hid their heads in shame. Krista gave a loud, evil cackle as she nearly fell over, tears streaming down her face as Harry rampaged through area, making some of the littler Champions scatter as his hooves trampled the sand. The timbre of his cries rose to earsplitting shrieks, as the lobsters pinched down on a very _particular_ area.

"You owe me," Helios told Krista, squatting down at the edge of the pool.

"I'm almost afraid what you'll ask, but right now I'm just going to enjoy this,"

"Don't you have work to do?" Gar asked him.

Helios thumbed back towards the bar. A sign labeled "Bathroom Break" stood on the counter, answering Gar's question.

"Of course, I don't _actually_ have to go to the bathroom, but…" Helios shrugged, a rueful grin on his face. "If it works."

Ahri gave a sinister smile. "And it definitely did." She glanced over to Helios. "Don't forget you owe me a volleyball game."

"Never, my dear." He planted a kiss on her cheek before dashing off to the bar.

"As long as it doesn't involve me going after Cira, I think I'll be ok," Krista huffed.

"I don't know what my grandfather has planned, but…" came Sonja's voice as she waded towards Krista, "how'd you like to be a part of my team?"

Krista gave a hum as she looked at where Helios was running off to.

"I think that sounds like fun," she smirked.

* * *

" ** _BRING IT, PANSIES!_** " Helios screamed, knees bent with a wild glint in his eyes. " ** _I'LL TAKE YOU ALL ON!_** "

"Easy there Optimus Prime," Violet snickered, tossing the volleyball up and down, "you might strain somethin',"

"I consider myself to be more of a Grimlock, actually," he replied. "And I'm gonna smash the shit outta this game. And you."

"Oho you _think_ that?" Violet challenged, "I've got three reasons that say you don't, myself not included,"

"Feh." He did a few crunches, then twisted his torso from side to side. "I ain't scared. Do your worst."

"Prepare to get _dunked_ ," Vi grinned, "Serve's up!"

She tossed the ball in the air, so high it could barely be seen before jumping up almost as high and smacking the ball as hard as she could, sending it screaming over the net.

He was there in an instant, sending the ball skyward with a simple rap of his knuckles. He waited, then smacked it over the net at three times the speed.

Vi dove into the sand, kicking it up as she saved the ball from hitting the ground. The ball went up into the air only to get smacked down by Darius across the net.

"Good save!" Silvia praised as she helped Vi to her feet.

"Setting it!" Helios called, hitting the ball up.

"Okay! I'll get it!" Ahri called out as she began running towards the god, arms extended.

He dove away, giving her room. "All yours!"

With that, Ahri charged forward and, upon lining herself up with the ball, jumped into the air, right hand raised. She seemed to be in that pose for an eternity, but mere seconds later, she spiked the ball.

"Got it!" Silvia yelled, saving it, "hey, Sonja!"

The ball went high into the air, Sonja grinned as she looked at Helios...and then smacked the ball right at him, fire crackling around her fist.

Helios thrust his fingers into his mouth and whistled.

Bard slid across the sand, pointing his saxophone (that was what they called it - even Helios didn't know what its real name was, and Bard wasn't really one for talking) up at the ball. He blasted a single, sonorous note, projecting a blast of energy towards the ball. It shot upward, bathed in lustrous golden light.

"YA LIKE **_JAZZ,_** SHY?!" Helios yelled, leaping up to spike the Jazz Ball of Doom.

"Syndra!" Shyvana yelled.

"Gotcha," Syndra grinned as violet light flared around her hands.

The golden light suddenly turned purple as Silvia slowed it slightly and bumped it up.

"HA!" Krista yelled as she sent it over the net.

A trio of sand soldiers rose up from the court, slapping it back over with the shafts of their spears.

"You really thought that would work," Alexander chuckled as the soldiers followed his command.

"Cheater," Krista hissed as Seamus saved the ball and Syndra smacked it down.

"Technically, it isn't," Helios said, setting it just in time. "The rules don't say that we _can't_ use sand soldiers."

A ghostly, glowing tentacle smacked it over the net.

"Or tentacles," Alejandra smiled, "Consider it a lesson, Krista. One, I am afraid, might take a bit to learn!"

"Ohhhh no," Krista growled as she saw the ball go to an area where no one was, "I've been on the receiving end of your lessons. I don't need another one,"

She clenched her fist, and Darius disappeared in a blaze of green light. She gestured towards the unmanned area and Darius rematerialized just in time to hit the ball up.

"Got it!" Shyvana yelled as she set the ball up high.

"Same!" Vi grinned as she leaped up and smacked the ball directly at Ahri, putting everything she had into that hit.

The fox stared at the ball, eyes wide before moving most of her tails in front of her. They blocked the ball and knocked it up, but Ahri let out a whine. "Violet! That hurt!" Ariel cried out.

"Not my problem!" she smirked, "I can't help it! I'm just built this way! Blame Caleb, he designed me,"

 ** _DONG!_**

The ball slammed into her face faster than she could think, toppling her.

"Hope you don't mind, Vi." Helios dusted off his hands. "No offense, but I'm obligated to defend my woman's honor."

"Owwww," Violet groaned, still lying down as her projector glitched, "I think you cracked my visor…"

"C'mon, get up soldier," Krista started, grabbing Violet's hand, "we've still got a game,"

"Gimme a second…" Violet told her, putting a hand to her projector, "Ah, come on, stop glitching already...there,"

She glared at Helios, a very, _very_ murderous look in her eyes.

"Alright Sunshine, you're gonna pay for that," she growled.

She received a mild smirk in reply. "Vi, if you think that's supposed to scare me, I once had to groom Volibear. Nothing you say or do will _ever_ be worse than that."

"You did _what?!"_ Krista sputtered.

He frowned at the memory. "I lost a bet a few hundred years ago. I had to go through every _inch_ of his fur. The things I saw in there…" He shuddered.

Ahri looked to him and winced slightly. "Sounds bad."

"You have no idea."

"Yeah well…" Shyvana started as the hurled the ball towards him, "Your team's serve,"

"'Kay." He caught it, spinning it once with his index fingers. "Anyone want it for this round? I probably shouldn't be the one to do it."

"Pansy," Violet snorted, earning her a whap upside the head from one of Silvia's dark spheres.

"Don't antagonize him please," Silvia grumbled.

"I can always count on my battle buddy," up Helios beamed. "Now!" He smacked a hand against the ball, creating a small echo. "Any volunteers?"

"If no one else will, then I shall do it," Illaoi said, taking the ball from Helios, "Be wary, Vi, this one comes for _you_ ,"

"BRING IT!" Vi challenged.

Helios had the feeling there was a tentacle joke in there somewhere, but wisely chose to keep it to himself.

The priestess tossed the ball into the air and smacked it towards Vi like she had promised. Vi dove, hitting the ball with one arm, sending it into the air where the teal blur that was Krista spiked it towards an empty spot where no one was.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Helios smacked it up, setting it for Illaoi. "Did you think you had us?"

The Kraken Priestess gave the ball a crushing blow, again aiming for Vi, who yelled as the force knocked her flat, but still catapulted the ball up into the air where Shyvana smacked it down again.

Azir sent his soldiers forwards, who hit the ball upwards just for him to hit it towards Darius.

"Cheater!" Krista yelled, "THAT IS A DOUBLE HIT!"

"My soldiers hit it, not me!" The Emperor scoffed, "it is a legal hit,"

"That's not fair!" The specter screeched, "that's like me summoning my own army to play!"

"Not my fault you didn't,"

Darius seemed to sense Krista's anger and immediately hit the ball towards her.

She smacked it over the net while two teal oathbound spirits rushed towards to tip it over the net...while a third grabbed at Azir's ankle, ripping him off his feet.

"Now who is cheating!?" Alejandra demanded, crossing her arms.

 ** _"He started it,"_** came the dark snarl from Kalista as Black Mist coiled around her feet, **_"We finished it,"_**

"Krista, play nice," Ariel huffed. "Otherwise this is going to become an unsortable mess."

"HE CHEATED!"

"Technically, he didn't," Helios piped up. "There's nothing in the rules that says he _can't_ use his Sand Soldiers like that."

"If you're going to pull that BS, then you have too many players," she snapped.

"Fine, fine, we can redo it." He rolled his eyes. " _Without_ the constructs."

"Finally some peace," Seamus muttered, making Violet snort.

Azir's discomfort was evident as he took the ball to serve.

"Remember, Azir," Helios said, "no constructs."

Hesitantly, he tossed the ball up.

* * *

" _So,_ " Helios drawled. "How much do you think the sand pit, bar, snack shack and lazy river cost altogether?"

"With Andrew's luck, probably more than enough to give him a headache," Selene replied.

"That's unfortunate."

"You're not the one paying for it."

"Hey, I wasn't the one who turned them into a smoldering wreck, believe it or not." He took a sip from a drink he'd procured from the shack's remains. He quickly pulled away, grimacing. It had quickly turned lukewarm. "That was Aatrox's fault," he said, after wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"And what exactly possessed you to invite _him_ to a volleyball game?"

Helios shrunk under the dry scrutiny of her glare. "Azir turned out to be ass at volleyball without his constructs doing the work for him," he managed. "Aatrox was kind of milling around by the beach, so…"

"Helios, I love you, I really do, but you're honestly the biggest idiot I've ever known. You _know_ how the others feel about him. Remember what happened before he was inducted as a champion?"

"Hey, that could've gone a _whole_ lot worse."

"Literally everyone almost died, Helios."

" _Almost._ Not quite."

"You're unbelievable."

"Love you too."

"And that is why there will be no more volleyball games...at least when there is a god on one side," came Andrew's voice as the Summoner came up, his arms crossed, "they thought it'd be a good idea to send at least _one_ Summoner here...they should have thought of that earlier,"

"Alright, out with it. How much is this gonna cost you?" Helios asked.

"Selene was dead on. The area is easily fixed with magic, but the headache is going to be a massive one. Thankfully…" he pulled out a small vial, "I've come prepared. Something I've learned to expect with working with Chosens,"

Helios leaned over it, curious. "And that does...what, exactly?"

"Headache relief. Aspirin hasn't exactly been able to be mass produced here. It was among the things we were planning to bring to Runeterra before the Barrier. Just like there are some herbs here that when mixed properly...can cure cancer. This program we started was to open up trade and technology to both worlds. Like Hextech to Earth and advanced medicine to here. There were some down sides...mainly the void and a few other influences on both, but it was for the most part good,"

He gave a sad smile as he traced a knot in the table.

"Sona finding an iPod, Jayce and Viktor discovering laptops and flashdrives, Zoe discovering cameras...all those pure, innocent moments now gone,"

Helios's face contorted with an odd expression.

"What?" Andrew asked, "Helios...I don't like that look. Hey! What!? NO! PUT ME DOWN!"

"Sorry, Andrew!" Helios said with a cheeky grin as he held Andrew overhead. "You've become a party pooper! And at the pool, there are no party poopers allowed!"

He chucked him into the water, creating a massive splash. The Summoner quickly resurfaced, spluttering and gasping.

"Welp, since the bar's been destroyed, I'm gonna go find Vasher. And make out with Ahri. And get them both to help me shenaniganize. Not necessarily in that order. I'm not sure if shenaniganize is an actual word." Helios raised one knee and primed both arms in a skedaddle pose. "Later!"

He zipped off, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.

Andrew stared for a moment only for someone to nail him with a water balloon. He whirled around to see Cira doubled over laughing as Janie tossed a balloon in her hand.

The Summoner gave a loud, long laugh before turning to Ziggs.

"You have any more balloons?" he asked.

"Sure do!" the Mad Bomber grinned, handing over one.

"Oh, God, _run_!" Cira yelled, bolting as Andrew gave chase.

Selene chortled after them as Diana sidled up next to her. "Helios is going to be disappointed that he just missed this. At this point, profanity's the only real difference between the two of them."

"Years of teaching basically told her that was not allowed," Diana shrugged, "She's always had the mentality that there are so many more ways you can express yourself than just outright cursing. Mainly the weirder the saying the more the person you're insulting is likely to laugh than beat your face in,"

"Understandable," Selene replied. "Helios used to be the same, once upon a time. His speech used to be very eloquent, actually. He was still...well, _him,_ but he was more articulate about it."

" _EAT MY DUST, ASHE!_ " Helios yelled, howling alongside Vasher and Ahri as they fled from the archer. Ashe herself had the remains of her banana split splattered across her face as she frenzied after them. The cool liquid was already drying out, crusting into a mask.

The corner of Selene's lip curled downward. "Circumstances necessitated a change, however. Believe it or not, it was more efficient. It became easier for him to keep the other gods in line."

Mir gave a wry grin as she watched a water balloon thrown by Cira at Arthur. The Artisan of War gave a yell before jumping up, grabbing a squirt gun and giving chase.

He managed to grab Cira, but lost his footing and pulled both of them into the pool, his hat washing off and revealing his sodden black curls. Both Chosens sputtered before laughing heartily, throwing their heads back and towards the sky.

"They're so cute together," she said, "so happy,"

" ** _CANNONBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-_** "

Selene and Diana were promptly engulfed with a giant wave of water as Helios crashed into the pool to escape Ashe's wrath.

"Diana, dear," Selene flatly said, wiping water out of her eyes. "Murphy's Law tends to work overtime when Helios is around, so please don't jinx it next time."

"Noted," she sputtered, shaking her head and wringing out her pale hair, "I think I'm going to go back onto my chair,"

"I think I'll do the same."

 **Next up, we're hoping to do a bit of a Halloween special for you guys. So...expect some pranks and general zaniness...ok I lie, expect the latter to be cranked up to 11. Gar is a creation of Fic's, we both lowkey ship Pyke and Kalista and both their chosens have been kinda burned. Anyone have any guesses for who Vi has a thing for?**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)  
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)**

 **Pantheon-Arthur Jonson**

 **Diana-Mir Marama**

 **Ahri-Ariel Royal**

 **Syndra-Silvia Lazar (Umbero)**

 **Kalista- Krista Rhon**

 **Shyvana- Sonja Chadayev (Turner)**

 **Jarvan IV- Zack Turner**

 **Hecarim- Harry Karum**

 **Pyke- Gar Rivers**

 **Nami- Amber Undina**

 **Tryndamere- Matthew Hodges**

 **Lucian- Jonathan Cross Jr. (Senna-Sienna Cross)**

 **Thresh- Hayden White**

 **Syndra- Silvia Lazar (Umbero)**

 **Ashe- Amelia Whitworth (Hodges)**

 **Darius- Seamus O'Connor**

 **Illaoi- Alejandra Trujilo**

 **Azir- Alexander Solaris**

 **Bard- Josh Ambing**

 **Vi-Violet Sydney**

 **Caitlyn- Caroline Edwards**

 **Jinx- Mya Grace (Allen)**

 **Ekko- David Allen**

 **Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)**

 **Kindred-Dianne Faye**

 **Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)**

 **Leona-Janie Noble**

 **...And then there are** **Helios and Selene.**

 **Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!**

 **Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

 **Máriessë ar mára tecië**

 **Farewell and fair writing**

 **Elhini Prime signing off.**


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